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CoDvii^htN", 4y/2»-

Colonel H. S. Huidekopek.

LlEUTENANT-COLUNKL i'nOS. ChAMEERLIN.

Brevet Bkkiadier-Genekal Langhokne Wister.

Brevet Major R. L. Asmiii'kst.

Sur(;eon Michael O'Haka.

HISTORV

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH REGIMENT

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS,

SECOND REGIMENT, BUCKTAIL BRIGADE.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL THOMAS CHAMBERLIN,

HISTORIAN OF THE SURVIVORS' ASSOCIATION.

PHILADELPHIA: _^? '^ ^ ^

PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY.
1S95.

Thomas Chamberlin.

Dedicated

THE SURVIVING OFFICERS AND MEN

" 150th,V

TO THE MEMORY OF ITS DEAD.

PREFACE.

Now that nearly a third of a century has elapsed since the
150th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers gathered to the
colors, when inquiry is made about the beginnings of the
organization, the recollections of many of its most intelligent
members are found to be more or less confused, and on some
points quite unreliable. Is it that the infancy of a regiment,
like that of an individual, has nothing in it of sufficient value
to be remembered and preserved to posterity ? Possibly not
much. Yet, if even for a few of those still living who fought
in the great War for the Union ; or for the friends who were, for
valid reasons, unable to share their trials, but watched with
solicitude their progress in the field ; or for the larger number
of those who pride themselves on their descent from the
patriotic actors in that grand tragedy, the birth and early
movements of a particular military body have their interest, it
is a sufficient warrant for noting in permanent form all that may
be known of them.

It is scarcely a matter of wonder that the minute details of
the organization of a regiment are so imperfectly recalled by
its members. In the first days of his enlistment the eager
soldier looks forward to the time of important deeds and chafes
at every hour's delay in town or camp. However seriously his
ambitions may be modified by actual experience of warfare, his
desire at the start is to meet the foe as promptly as possible, —
to hear the rattle of musketry, the clash of sabres, the boom
of cannon, and to snuff the intoxicating smoke of battle. All

6 PREFACE.

else is " rubbish." Only after marching orders have set the
machine of which he is a part in motion is the patient military
" chronicler of small things" developed. Pocket annals blos-
som then on every side. Soon, however, the ardor of many
would-be historians is chilled as the strain of daily duty grows
more severe, and of diaries it is presently only a question of
the " survival of the fittest."

After the transfer of the 150th from Harrisburg to Washing-
ton, the materials for a circumstantial account of its doings and
experiences grow more abundant. It is the previous gap that
is difficult to bridge over. But as some old and valued nurse
is usually at hand to clear up misty points of family history or
chronology, so there are still those left who stood in a manner
as nurses to the infant organization, and, besides witnessing its
birth, watched its growth, followed or shared the actions of its
vigorous maturity, and continue to enjoy the memory of its
achievements. From these have been gathered, as opportunity
offered, many facts which — if of small general value — may
prove interesting to the surviving members of the regiment
and to their families and friends.

The narrative of the campaigns of the 150th — its tent-life,
marches, and battles — has been drawn from all available sources,
— chiefly from diaries kept by enlisted men and from letters
"written from the field, supplemented by the recollections of
field-, staff-, and line-officers, as well as of the rank and file.
Nothing has been set down without careful authentication, and
where the memory of witnesses has clashed in respect to any
important incident, everything possible has been done to recon-
cile the disagreement and reach the actual fact.

Acknowledgments are due to General H. S. Huidekoper
and Brevet Major R. L. Ashhurst for the use of valuable private
army correspondence ; to Colonel George W. Jones, Captain
H. K. Lukens, and Sergeant William R. Ramsey for many
items of interest; to Adjutant William Wright for written

PREFACE. 7

accounts of the battles of the North Anna and Hatcher's Run,
and of the expedition to Fall Brook; to Rev. H. M. Kieffer, D.D.,
for copies of his weekly reports, as hospital steward, for the
greater part of the year 1864; and to Sergeant Albert Mealey,
Corporal George A. Dixon, and Frank H. Elvidge, all of Com-
pany A, for the loan of diaries, — that of Private Elvidge in
particular, on account of its covering a longer period of time
and entering more fully into the details of each day's opera-
tions, proving the most serviceable contribution received from
any quarter. Thanks are also due to many other members of
the regiment for valuable suggestions and assistance from time
to time as the work progressed, and to Mr. Ellicott Fisher,
brother of the late Captain Harvey Fisher, of Company A, for
the use of letters and papers left by the latter, relating to his
army career.

If many matters are recalled by members of the command
which find no place in this history, — such as instances of indi-
vidual daring, humorous or pathetic happenings, unique ex-
periences in camp or field, — their absence is explained by the
fact that repeated requests for material of this kind received but
a meagre response, to the regret of the writer, who knows the
value of incident and anecdote in such a narrative. His work
has been done painstakingly and conscientiously, in hours with
difficulty snatched from an exacting business ; and if his book,
which is truly a labor of love, have no other merit, it is at least,
or aims to be, a faithful presentation of the truth.

Philadelphia, April 10, 1895.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. — Organization — The Philadelphia Companies ii

11. — To Harrisburg — Regimental Organization 21

III. — Concerning the "Bucktail Brigade" 27

IV. — On to Washington — In Washington 31

V. — Social and other Matters 38

VI. — Details for Duty — Breaking up of the Camp 42

VII. — Washington in the Winter of 1862-1863 49

VIII. — To the Front — Belle Plain . •. 55

IX. — Various Happenings in and out of Camp 62

X. — Night March to Port Conway — Artillery Engagement

at Pollock's Mills 72

XI. — Chancellorsville 80

XII. — In Camp at White Oak Church 91

XIII. — To Gettysburg • loi

XIV. — Gettysburg — First Day no

XV. — Gettysburg, to a Finish 131

XVI. — Return to Virginia — From Pillar to Post 146

XVII. — From Centreville back to the "Old Stamping Ground"

— Warrenton Junction — Mine Run — Paoli Mills ... 156
XVII I. — Culpeper — Raccoon Ford — A would-be Incapable — An Ap-
peal TO C.^SAR — Resignations 169

XIX. — Across the Rapidan— The Wilderness 182

XX. — Laurel Hill — Spottsylvania 193

XXI. — The Affair at the North Anna — Totopoto.moy 201

XXII. — From Cold Harbor to Petersburg 209

XXIII. — Fort Sedgwick (or " Hell") — Making Converts — Weldon

Railroad 222

XXIV. — Fort Dushane — First Movement on Hatcher's Run . . . 232
XXV. — In Winter-Quarters — Exchange of Arms — Presidential
Election — Second Weldon Railroad Expedition — Second

Hatcher's Run (or Dabney's Mill) 243

XXVI. — To Elmira, New York — Guarding Conscripts — Expedition
to Fall Brook, Pennsylvania, and a Bloodless Victory

— Muster-out and Final Pay — Home again 250

Appendix 261

HISTORY

150TH Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.

CHAPTER I.

ORGANIZATION — THE PHILADELPHIA COMPANIES.

The 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers, like many other regi-
ments designated by advanced numbers, was born of the ex-
igencies of the government resulting from the disasters of the
campaign in front of Richmond in the summer of 1862, — dis-
asters which could in no sense be attributed to any lack of
spirit, courage, or intelligence on the part of the Army of the
Potomac, whose fighting qualities never shone more conspicu-
ously than on the fields of Mechanicsville, Gaines's Mill, and
Malvern Hill, but rather to a fatal defect in its management,
which a comparison of the records of the two contending forces
has already made plain. The pestilential air of the Chicka-
hominy vied with the bullets and shells of the enemy in
thinning the ranks of our troops, and at the end of the Seven
Days' battles the necessity for immediate and active recruiting
was painfully apparent. In July of that year, while the army
was lying inactive at Harrison's Landing, on the James River,
Major Roy Stone, who had commanded with great skill and gal-
lantry the six companies of the ist Pennsylvania Rifles (better
known as the" Bucktails," 13th Regiment Pennsylvania Reserve

12 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Volunteer Corps, or 42d Regiment' Pennsylvania Volunteers),
serving with McClellan, — the other four companies had been
detached, and were operating with McDowell's command, under
Lieutenant- Colonel Thomas L. Kane, — asked for and obtained
orders to proceed to Pennsylvania on recruiting service. He
had participated in most of the engagements in the ill-advised
and humiliating "change of base," and while his little battalion
had established an enviable reputation for valor and efficiency,
it had met with most serious losses. It was to repair this waste
that the major avowedly started on his mission ; but in consul-
tation with his colonel, Hugh W. McNeil, who had just re-
turned to his command after a considerable absence caused by
sickness, he had broached the further idea of raising a brigade
of the same stamp of men as the 1st Rifles, which the colonel
caught up with much enthusiasm. The plan lay very near to
Major Stone's heart, and he needed no urging to put it in execu-
tion. Colonel McNeil at once addressed the following letter to

Governor Curtin :

" Head-Quarters ist Rifles, P.R.V.C,

" Harrison's Landing, Va., July 8, 1862.

'■ Hon. a, G. Curtin, Governor of Pennsylvania.

" Sir, — Major Stone returns to Pennsylvania on the Recruiting Service.
During the severe engagements of the past few days my regiment was in
the hottest of the fight, under the command of Major Stone. The Generals
of the Reserve Corps speak in the highest terms of its efficiency, and of
the distinguished gallantry of that accomplished officer. Where the
' Bucktails' fought there was no giving way of our lines, and where the
Major would bring up his Spartan Band, there brigades would re-form
and hold their position. General Seymour says he cannot spare a bat-
talion of such veterans from the service, and is desirous that its strength
be at once re-established. The name of ' Bucktail' has become a terror
to the enemy and an inspiration to our own men. I can speak impar-
tially of the brave fellows, as it was not my privilege to lead them, and
as to the Major, — to him is immediately due the credit of their heroic con-
duct on the Peninsula. A more extended organization would be greatly
advantageous to the service.

" A Bucktail Brigade of light infantry would reflect additional honor

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 3

on the old Commonwealth and the Executive that has given the Pennsyl-
vania army to the country. I hope that you may authorize Major Stone
to recruit a brigade to be attached to the Reserve Corps. He has won his
title to such a command by brilliant achievement on the field, that has
elicited the commendation of his General Officers, and has a reputation
even with McClellan.

" I am. Governor,

" Your most obedient servant,

" Hugh W. McNeil, Colonel,

" Commanding- Rifle sT

About the same time Captain Langhorne Wister, of Com-
pany B of the same regiment, likewise requested permission to
go home on recruiting service, basing his application on the
reduced condition of his command, with incidental mention of
a personal disability resulting from a slight wound in the ankle,
received in the battle of Gaines's Mill. His petition was favored,
and these two officers were presently in hearty co-operation in
an effort to realize the commendable project of a " Bucktail
Brigade." In his eagerness to pave the way for their success.
Colonel McNeil, on the same day on which his letter was ad-
dressed to Governor Curtin, wrote to one of his own influential

friends as follows :

" Harrison's Landing, July 8, 1862.

" Dear Theo, — Major Stone has proved himself a hero in the battles
before Richmond. He goes to Pennsylvania to recruit our Spartan Band,
now much reduced. He is likely to receive authority from the Department
and the Governor to raise a ' Bucktail' Brigade. General Seymour com-
mends him for that purpose. I would be greatly delighted that he should
succeed. He has won, on the field, a title to a superior command, and
proved himself eminently qualified.

" If any ' red tape' is required, I shall ask your influence in the proper
quarter.

" Yours very truly,

" H. W. McNeil, Colottel,

" Commanding' Rifles.'''

The idea of the new brigade was no sooner presented to
Governor Curtin than it met with instant favor, and the requi-

14 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

site authority for putting it on foot was given without delay.
Through Colonel J. H. Puleston, Pennsylvania Military Agent
at Washington (now Sir John Puleston, a member of Parlia-
ment), the approval of the Secretary of War was readily ob-
tained, and the United States Superintendent of Recruiting
Service for Pennsylvania endorsed the movement.

Before the middle of August, 1862, after due arrangements
had been made for filling the depleted ranks of the ist Rifles,
preparations for raising the Bucktail Brigade were begun, and
the work was pushed forward with the utmost rapidity. In
and near Philadelphia ten companies were speedily in process
of formation for the regiment which eventually became the
150th, and, if sufficient time had been allowed, doubtless all of
these could have been filled to the required standard. Such
was their growth that the organization was placed upon the
rolls of the Adjutant-General's Department, at Harrisburg, as
the " 143d," and by the 20th of August clothing and other sup-
plies were issued to the command under that designation. Two
weeks prior to this date the Adjutant-General issued the fol-
lowing order :

" Head-Quarters Pennsylvania Militia,

• " Adjutant-General's Department,

" Harrisburg, August 6, 1S62.

" Major Roy Stone, — VVm. M. Dalgliesh, of Allegheny County, and
George M. CuUen and Benj. F. Janney, of Philadelphia, having been
appointed second lieutenants of companies, under the provisions of the
first paragraph of General Order No. 75 of the War Department, of July
8, 1862, you will please muster them into the service of the United States
as such. A, L. Russell,

" Adjutant- Genenil Pennsylvania^

It is possible that B. F. Janney was mustered in accordance
with the above instructions, but, if so, the fact does not appear in
the roster of the 150th as given in Bates's " History of the Penn-
sylvania Volunteers," where September i, 1862, is fixed as the

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 5

date of his muster, as captain. Following Bates as an authority,
Lieutenant Chalkley W. Sears, of F Company, was the first
officer of the regiment to be mustered into the United States
service, August 9, 1862, being named as the date of his muster.
The next oldest officers by priority of muster were Adjutant
Richard L. Ashhurst and Assistant Surgeon James Fulton,
whose rolls were dated August 20.

As all of the original recruiting papers seem to have passed
out of sight, if not out of existence, it is, at this distance of
time, difficult to determine who were the nominal heads of all of
the ten companies started in Philadelphia for Colonel Wister's
proposed regiment. For the same reason it would be hard to
tell by whom the first recruits were obtained. From the best
information to be had, it is probable that among the earliest
enlistments were some for Company A, effected in Germantown
by Harvey Fisher, who became second lieutenant. Whether
this bright and energetic young officer aimed at putting on foot
a company of his own is not now known, nor is the inquiry
important. Joining forces with Cornelius C. Widdis, who, with
the assistance of influential friends, had obtained a large list of
recruits, and with W. M, Taylor, likewise of Germantown,
the roll of Company A soon approached completion, Widdis
receiving the captaincy and Taylor the first lieutenancy.

Simultaneously with the formation of A, George W. Jones
began, in Germantown, to raise the company which became B
in the regimental organization. He had seen active service in
the West, having enlisted in Colonel Phelps's * regiment of
Missouri volunteers, and fought under Sigel at Pea Ridge. The
captain was very successful in getting men, and in four or five
days entered about eighty on his list.

* Colonel Phelps, who was a member of Congress, and wielded the
sword without other than his civil pay, had his feelings greatly outraged
by the loss of all his slaves through the instrumentality of General "Jim"
Lane.

1 6 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

The other Philadelphia companies were of slower growth,
and eventually it became necessary to weld several of them
together in order to complete the two which subsequently be-
came E and F. Many military bodies were in process of forma-
tion at that time, but they " materialized" slowly, in spite of a
modest pecuniary inducement which had begun to be held out
by the municipality to stimulate enlistments. The number of
persons ambitious to wear shoulder-straps was out of all pro-
portion to the number of those who were willing to handle the
musket As a consequence, skeletons of companies, loosely
articulated, abounded, and these in many instances fell asunder,
— the parts to be gathered into new organizations with scarcely
more solidity than the first.

Benjamin F. Janney, William S. Pine, Henry W. Gimber,
William A. Elsegood, and others were actively engaged in
recruiting companies for the new regiment in the city proper.
Each controlled a considerable number of men, but each found
great difificulty in filling up even to the minimum required by
the law. When, under pressure from the War Department, it
became imperative to hasten the completion of companies, in
order that the proposed regiment might take the field, the vet-
eran Pine — an ex-sergeant of marines, who had circumnavi-
gated the globe under Commodore Downes, in the years 1831
to 1835, participating in the attack on the Malays of Quallah
Batoo, in the island of Sumatra, in 1832 — consented to unite
with Janney on condition of receiving the first lieutenancy. J.
Quincy Carpenter, who was also instrumental in adding recruits
to the same command, was made second lieutenant.

Gimber's progress in procuring enlistments had been slow
and laborious, and the prospect was far from encouraging. By
a series of transactions, into the particulars of which it is un-
necessary to enter, an imposing contribution was made to his
company, of men enlisted chiefly at Phoenixville by Chalkley W.
Sears, who became second lieutenant ; and William A. Else-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 7

good was induced to turn over his recruits bodily to the same
company. Of Elsegood, Sergeant WiUiam R. Ramsey says,
" He had his recruiting office in a shoe store belonging to him-
self or his father, on the west side of Third Street, above Chest-
nut. It was run by Edward Kates, who was afterwards a cor-
poral in Captain Gimber's company." The sergeant adds that he
himself enlisted under Elsegood. The latter had been a line
officer in the 66th Pennsylvania Volunteers, which by a series
of misfortunes was never filled up to the required standard,
and after a brief term of comparatively uneventful service was,
March 3, 1862, broken up and merged into the 73d and 99th
Regiments, Elsegood receiving the position of first lieutenant
in Company H of the 99th. Bates's History states that he was
promoted to the captaincy May 12, 1862, and resigned July 4
of that year.

Adjutant Ashhurst was of inestimable assistance in effecting
the several consolidations mentioned, thus assuring the com-
pletion of four companies for the regiment. It is not too
much to say that this able young staff-officer, in whose selec-
tion Colonel Wister was peculiarly fortunate, was the control-
ling spirit in all the negotiations by which the Philadelphia wing
of the organization was moulded into shape, bringing to his
delicate task the intelligence, enthusiasm, patience, and diplo-
macy essential to success. Embarked in the practice of the
law under the most favorable auspices, with every prospect of
early distinction in his profession, and with home ties of un-
usual strength and attraction, it is in the highest degree cred-
itable to his patriotism that he should have withdrawn from the
many interests which claimed him to serve his country in the
field.

Incidentally it may be stated that the regimental recruiting
office was on the north side of Chestnut Street, between Fifth
and Sixth Streets, and the regimental head-quarters at No. 131
South Fifth Street, in the law office of William Rotch Wister,

1 8 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Esq., a brother of Colonel Langhorne Wister, who labored
diligently to promote enlistments, and was serviceable in many
ways. It may be interesting to recall the fact that the regimen-
tal head-quarters of the I2ist Pennsylvania Volunteers, which
was being raised at the same time, were in the same building,
just across the hall-way, in the law ofifice of Chapman Biddle,
the first colonel of that regiment. The adjutant of the I2ist,
the lamented Thomas M. Hall, sat just across the entry at a
desk corresponding to that used by Adjutant Ashhurst. Thus
early in their history began the association and companionship
of the two regiments, destined to be continued in friendly
rivalry on many a toilsome march and on more than one
bloody field.

The ranks of Companies E and F were still far from full
when those of A and B had nearly attained their maximum.
To further the work of obtaining men an expedient was
adopted — not entirely new or original — which resulted most
satisfactorily. A huge furniture car of the platform variety
was hired for the purpose, tastefully decorated with the national
colors, and showily placarded with appeals to " Enlist in the
Bucktail Brigade !" From poles planted in the body of the
van hung a seductive array of bucktails to be bestowed upon
the expected recruits. With ample provision of horses and
martial music, this gigantic vehicle, in charge of Captain
Janney, Sergeant Bringhurst, and others, assisted by Captain
Jones, began its journey through the principal streets, attract-
ing attention wherever it appeared, and preceded and followed
by the usual throng of the unemployed, forever on the watch
for the latest excitement. Its progress was a triumph, bringing
resolution to many who had been balancing between the desire
to serve their country and indisposition to leave their homes
and families. The car rolled on to the music of the drums and
fifes, which grew in intensity at every moment, catching the
spirit of the recruiting officers, whose appeals could scarcely

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 9

have been more impassioned if they had been preaching a new
religion. By nightfall many men had been gathered in, to
whom the record of the original Bucktails was familiar, and
who. were proud to decorate their hats with an emblem so
favorably known in our own army and so highly respected —
if not feared — by the enemy.

About a week before the close of August the several com-
panies were settled in camp near Nicetown, on Logan's farm,
commonly known as " Stenton," not far from the point at which
Fifteenth and Cayuga Streets now intersect each other. Lo-
gan's Run separated their tents from those of Collis's Zouaves
(114th Pennsylvania), who were awaiting orders to march.
Prior to this time Captain Jones had quartered and subsisted
many of his men at Napfle's Hotel, at the corner of Wister
Street and Germantown Avenue (then " Duy's Lane" and
" Main Street"), at a considerable expense to himself; while
Captain Widdis's company remained at their homes, or boarded
among their friends, with the understanding that if the govern-
ment eventually commuted their rations for this period, the
money should go to them. Mention is made of this circum-
stance because it has an important bearing on an incident
which occurred later in the history of the regiment, and which
will be recorded in its proper place. During the brief encamp-
ment at Nicetown, Sergeant Bringhurst handled the commis-
sary stores for the entire command, and tradition has it that
even at this early day, when inexperience might have been
presumed to guarantee fairness and honesty in such a position,
methods of deriving profit from soldiers' rations were speedily
discovered and freely practised.

Some of the consolidations already referred to were effected
at this point, and here, too, loud murmurs of dissatisfaction
arose when marching orders came before the bounty promised
by the city had been paid. While the withholding of this
money would probably not have prevented the movement of

20 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

the command, it was generally recognized that these expres-
sions of discontent were well founded, and that the pledge of
the municipal government should be kept. Principally through
the good ofifices of William Rotch Wister, Esq., sufficient funds
were raised to cover one-half of the stipulated sum, which was
distributed among the men, and it was promised that the re-
maining half should be forthcoming at an early day. Thus all
unpleasantness was allayed, and much hilarity prevailed at
Stenton before the tents were abandoned.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 21

CHAPTER 11.

TO HARRISBURG — REGIMENTAL ORGANIZATION.

On Monday, September i, Companies A and B broke camp
and marched to West Philadelphia, where they took train for
Harrisburg. Collis's Zouaves had already gone, their departure
hastened, no doubt, by the condition of affairs before Wash-
ington, where Pope — more from others' fault, perhaps, than his
own — had conducted a hopeless campaign. On Tuesday even-
ing, September 2, about eight o'clock. Companies E and F fol-
lowed the example of their comrades, and, marching to West
Philadelphia, started by rail for Harrisburg about half-past
eleven, arriving there at daylight and rejoining the first two
companies at Camp Curtin.

If, in speaking of the command, the four Philadelphia com-
panies have been designated A, B, E, and F, it is not that the
designation of any company had, as yet, been absolutely fixed.
A tacit understanding seems to have existed that Widdis's and
Jones's companies were to occupy the flanks, and to be A and
B respectively. As already stated, the regimental organization
was borne upon the papers of the Adjutant-General's office as
the 143d. Sufficient evidence of this may still be found in the
pigeon-holes of the War Department, and, if further proof is
needed, it is found in a certificate still in the possession of Ser-
geant William R. Ramsey, which appears to have been written
in Philadelphia, dated after the company reached Harrisburg,
and endorsed still later by Colonel Wister. This document
originally read :

22 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

" I do certify on honor that William R. Ramsey is a member of Com-
pany C, 143d Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.

" H. W. GiMBER,

" Commanding Company C.
" Philadelphia, September 3, 1862."

As it now appears, the " C" is crossed, and the figures " 150"
are marked over 143. This certificate is another evidence that
Colonel Wister originally contemplated the formation of a
purely Philadelphia regiment, whose framework was^duly laid,
but which failed to reach the fulness and symmetry of a perfect
structure. It also shows that Captain Gimber's company ex-
pected to occupy the position of " color" company in the bat-
talion. Indeed, without any intention of censuring its ambitions,
it may be remarked that the Quaker City element of the regi-
ment seems to have been willing to accept whatever places of
honor or profit were going. Six more companies, however,
were needed to round out the organization, and until these
were secured the alphabetical designations necessarily remained
uncertain.

About the time of the arrival of the first instalment of the
Philadelphians there reached Camp Curtin four companies from
Crawford County, which had been recruited under proper
authority for the Bucktail Brigade by Captain Henry S. Huide-
koper, of Meadville, in person, or with his co-operation. Three
of these were from Meadville, commanded by Captains H. S.
Huidekoper, John B. Fay, and J. W. H. Reisinger; the fourth
came from Titusville, commanded by Captain John W. Sigler.
A fifth company had been raised at Conneautville, in the same
county, by Captain A. J. Mason, avowedly in Huidekoper's
interest; but for some unexplained reason it was assigned to
the 145th Pennsylvania.

Much less difficulty seems to have been experienced in
recruiting in Crawford County than in Philadelphia, though
nearly the same inducements were held out at each end of the

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 23

State. The machinery for drafting was almost ready to be set
in motion, and this fact was skilfully used to hasten voluntary
enlistments. On August 6 this handbill was struck off, and
within a day or two posted throughout Crawford County:

"BUCKTAIL BRIGADE.

Drafting commences Aug. 15.

H. S. HUIDEKOPER

has been authorized by Gen. Stone to raise
a Battalion of

FOUR COMPANIES FOR THE BUCKTAILS.

All Companies, parts of Companies and Recruits
reporting immediately

AT MEADVILLE,

will be provided for and be sure of a place in the
Bucktail Brigade.

Enlist Now and Receive the Bounty of $25,

one month's pay in advance, and $75 at the end of
the war, and not wait to be drafted into a poor regi-
ment and receive no bounty.

The County will probably give her Men $50 apiece.

H. S. HUIDEKOPER

WISHES 100 MEN TO FORM A SELECT
COMPANY,

The Battalion will probably receive its arms, etc.,
immediately, and be encamped in Meadville for four
weeks. All men enlisting in this Battalion will be sure
of the best care, and can have money at all times trans-
ferred to their families free of charge.

MEADVILLE, PA., Aug. 6, 1862. (Journal Print.)"

24 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

In less than three weeks of actual recruiting time the bat-
tahon was ready, and on August 27 the following poster
appeared :

"BUCKTAILS!

ALL MEN" WHO HAVE ENLISTED IN"

HUIDEKOPER & DERICKSON'S CO.,

REISINGER & SHAW'S CO.,

J. B. FAY'S CO., or CAPT. ZEIGLER'S CO.,

MUST BEPORT THEMSELVES AT
MEADVILLE ON

MONDAY, SEPT. 1ST,

TO BE IN READINESS TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY
FOR HARRISBURG.

Aug-. 27, 1862."

They reported, and reached Harrisburg on the 2d of Sep-
tember.

With so large a body of men under his control, and with
influential friends to assist him, Captain Huidekoper might
properly have asked for, and could easily have obtained, com-
mand of a regiment, had he been so minded. In fact, he was
sent for by Adjutant-General Russell and informed by him that
upon the recommendation of Captain Tarbutton, commander
of Camp Curtin, he was to have the colonelcy of a regiment
then forming. This he declined on account of the engage-
ments which he had entered into with his own men and the
promises he had made to the parents of many of them. When,
however, the Adjutant-General offered him the lieutenant-
colonelcy of a regiment to be commanded by Colonel Wister,
he at once accepted the proffered position, pleased with the

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 2$

prospect of being associated with a superior officer of excellent
social standing, approved courage, and ample military experi-
ence. These two gentlemen had never met, nor had any cor-
respondence passed between them, until they were brought
together to arrange the details of the regimental organization.
On the 4th of September these details were completed. Cap-
tain Henry W. Crotzer's company, from Union County, recruited
chiefly at Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and Captain' Horatio
Bell's, from McKean County, were added to the eight from
Philadelphia and Crawford, making the total of the command
about 928.

Entirely without his knowledge, and with no previous inti-
mation from any quarter of the probability of such an appoint-
ment, Captain Thomas Chamberlin, of Company D, 5th Penn-
sylvania Reserve, was named by Secretary of State Slifer for
the position of major, and the proposition favorably received
by the other field-officers. Captain Chamberlin, like Captain
Wister, had served since the spring of 1861, participating in
the Peninsular campaign, and was at this time in hospital at
Baltimore, after a brief sojourn in Libby Prison, recovering
from a severe wound received at the battle of Charles City
Cross Roads (otherwise known as " Glendale" and " Eraser's
Farm").

On the afternoon of the day on which the regimental organi-
zation was effected Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper led the
command to the arsenal, in Harrisburg, where it received its
arms and accoutrements. The arms were Enfield rifles, a
weapon of fair workmanship, and quite superior to the Harper's
Ferry altered musket, with which so many of the Pennsyl-
vania troops were originally supplied. It was open, however,
to some of the same objections, being a muzzle-loader, of too
limited a range, and unnecessarily heavy.

Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper receipted for these supplies,
as he did for all stores of every kind drawn by the regiment, its

26 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

nominal head being still a captain on recruiting service, from
which he had not yet been relieved. Among the articles
received was a stand of colors — the national ensign — of very
inferior silk, which gave small promise of holding out long,
even with careful handling. Of State colors there was at that
time an absolute dearth, and the regiment was not provided
with one bearing its numerical designation until a month and a
half later.'

A choice of several numbers for the command was offered
to Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper, who selected " 150" (as he
himself states) because it was a " good round number." The
old designation, " 143d," under which uniforms and rations had
been issued to the Philadelphia companies, naturally fell away
on their arrival at Camp Curtin ; but its use for even so short
a time was not without troublesome consequences. Another
143d Regiment was soon in the field, and the confusion arising
from the mingling of the papers relating to the two commands,
in the offices of the State and national War Departments, en-
tailed no small labor on Adjutant Ashhurst, who accomplished
the task of straightening the record during the autumn.

Adjutant Ashhurst and Quartermaster Arthur S. Voorhis
reached Harrisburg close on the heels of the four Philadelphia
companies, and from that moment knew no rest. Dr. Michael
O'Hara, a brother of Bishop O'Hara, of Scranton, had not yet
been mustered as surgeon, but Assistant Surgeon James Fulton
was present to relieve such pains and aches as fell to the lot of
the men from the miscellaneous food and indifferent shelter of
Camp Curtin. Marching orders speedily followed the distri-
bution of arms, and the command was promptly in motion,
overjoyed to learn that its destination was Washington.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 2/

CHAPTER III.

CONCERNING THE " BUCKTAIL. BRIGADE."

Major Stone's plan looked originally to the raising of at
least four Bucktail regiments for his brigade, but such was the
pressure for fresh troops at the front, and so limited the time
allowed him for effecting enlistments, that but two regiments
were completed— the 149th and 150th— when he was ordered
to take the field. Nor was all sunshine in his efforts to realize
his cherished project. With no intention of detracting from
the good name or fair fame of one of the nation's illustrious
defenders, it may be stated that Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas L.
Kane (afterwards brigadier-general and brevet major-general
of volunteers), whose aim to succeed Colonel Charles J. Biddle
in the command of the ist Pennsylvania Rifles (" Bucktails")
had been thwarted by the election of Captain Hugh W. McNeil
to the colonelcy, in the winter of 1861-62, on hearing of Major
Stone's movement, bestirred himself to prevent the latter from
obtaining what he (Kane) had heard, or dreamed, was to be
an independent command, and also to deprive it of the use
of the distinguishing badge adopted by his own regiment,
to which he seemed to think the latter had the exclusive
right and title. Exactly what representations he made to the
Secretary of War it would be unprofitable to try to ascertain ;
but that obstacles were thrown in the major's way can easily
be inferred from the following telegraphic and written corre-
spondence :

28 _ ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

[ Telegram?^

"Washington, D.C, August 13, 1862.
" To General Russell, for Major Roy Stone.

" Have just seen authorities here and corrected the error induced by
inquiries and protests of Colonel Kane. If General Russell advises, pub-
lish Governo}' s authority. Am expecting copy of my letter to General

Russell. J. H. PULESTON."

" Head-Quarters Pennsylvania Volunteers.

"Washington, D.C, August 16, 1862.
" To Major Roy Stone.

"Major, — There is no occasion for doubt or misunderstaiiding as to
the Bucktail Brigade.

"Authority from the Secretary of War to raise an independent com-
mand was not solicited, and such authority has not, to my knowledge,
been claimed.

"The Secretary gave the assurance that the Bucktail regiments, if
raised by the authority of the Governor, should be accepted and kept
together as one brigade. This assurance was based upon the request of
Adjutant-General Russell, made through me.

" As there is nothing in General Buckingham's note to conflict with
either the assurance of the Secretary of War or the authority given you
by the Governor, there can be no difficulty or misunderstanding about
the matter, especially as you have also the authority of the Superintendent
of Recruiting Service in Pennsylvania, to whom you were ordered by
General McClellan to report.

" Respectfully,

"J. H. Puleston,
" Military Agent of Petmsylvaitia."

It has been deemed proper and advisable to introduce this
correspondence to show that difficulties had to be overcome in
organizing this new command, and to bring into relief the
intelligence and activity which were displayed in putting two
regiments on foot — in spite of opposition — in the incredibly
short period of twenty days. At the beginning of the struggle
this would scarcely have been worthy of remark ; but the first
great wave of patriotic emotion had passed, popular enthusiasm
had greatly abated, and the war was beginning to be an old

PE NNS YL VA NIA VOL UN TEERS.

Story. Then, too, a long series of defeats had had a depressing
influence on the country, and enh'stments are never so spon-
taneous as in moments of victory. Nor must it be forgotten
that at the same time a score or more of other regiments were
being recruited in various parts of the State, drawing their
supply of men from every village and settlement, however iso-
lated. All this lends brilliancy to Major Stone's achievement.

Another object is aimed at in the production of these and
the letters and despatches previously introduced. Claims having
been made by surviving members of the ist Pennsylvania Rifles,
and by a izw persons who belonged to other organizations, that
the 149th and 150th Regiments were not entitled to the name
of " Bucktail," it has seemed proper to show :

First. — That Colonel McNeil, of the ist Pennsylvania Rifles,
urged the formation of the Bucktail Brigade, and gave the
project encouragement and assistance.

Second. — That Major Stone and Captain Wister, who recruited
and subsequently commanded the two regiments, were original
" Bucktails."

Third. — That the brigade was raised as a " Bucktail Brigade"
by the authority of Governor Curtin, ivitli the approval of the
Secretary of War, whose express assurance was given that the
''Bucktail regiments should be kept together,'' and with the en-
dorsement and co-operation of the United States Superintendoit
of Recruiting in Pennsylvania.

If any other evidence were needed of the right of the com-
mand to the emblem worn by its members, and the appellation
" Bucktail," it is found in the fact that in all the records of the
State, in the records and publications of the War Department,
and in Bates's " History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers," the
149th and 1 50th are designated as " Bucktail" regiments. Their
claim is therefore as valid as that of the 1st Rifles, with even an
added shade of " official" recognition. If there were anything in
their conduct during the war to be ashamed of, it could easily

30 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

be understood why their title should be disputed ; but the story
of their deeds is too clear to bring a blush to the cheek of the
most exacting patriot, whether civilian or soldier. There was
mortification enough, and glory enough, for all in those years
of campaigning ; and while the 150th claims no share in the
enviable record made for itself by the ist Rifles, and has
no desire to profit by even a distant reflection of its fame, it
asks for the undisturbed enjoyment of the name to which State
and national authority entitles it, and of such honor as accrued
to it from its own conduct and achievements.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 3 1

CHAPTER IV.

ON TO WASHINGTON — IN WASHINGTON.

On Friday morning, September 5, about seven o'clock, the
regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Huide-
koper (Colonel Wister not yet having been relieved of his
duties as a recruiting officer), took train for Washington, but,
encountering some delays, did not reach Baltimore until the
middle of the afternoon. The march through the streets to
Camden Station was full of interest to the entire command,
many of whom saw the beautiful city for the first time. In
passing along Baltimore Street the minds of all reverted to the
scenes of disorder and bloodshed which marked the passage of
the first Northern soldiers through Baltimore in 1861. Now
the tone of the people was strongly loyal, and the regiment on
its march was greeted with every sign of sympathy and good
feeling. Substantial citizens joined the column and, accom-
panying it over the route, expressed their gratification at the
sight of such a re-enforcement — which they declared looked
more like a brigade than a regiment — moving towards the
capital, then felt to be in danger.

At the Camden Station there was a considerable delay, of
which the men took advantage to stretch their limbs and par-
take of a comfortable supper. Late in the night a fresh start
was made, and the train arrived at Washington about day-
break. The journey was without important incident, but its
very slowness, coupled with the loss of sleep, was excessively
fatiguing, and the regiment was glad of a few hours' repose at
the "Soldiers' Rest." Here Colonel Huidekoper received

32 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

orders to report with his command to General Casey, whose
head-quarters were at the south end of Fourteenth Street, not
far from the beginning of the Long Bridge. Thither the regi-
ment marched, only to receive instructions to move out north
of the city, in the direction of Frederick. Starting about mid-
day, it proceeded by way of Seventh Street, and, after accom-
plishing a distance of five or six miles under the pleasurable
impression that it was about to join the Army of the Potomac,
its course was arrested by orders to return to the capital. This
was a great disappointment, for which, however, there was no
help, and the column dragged its slow length back over the
road by which it had come, wondering — as inexperienced sol-
diers will — whether the military authorities of the department
" knew their own mind."

The first march of a regiment with its full equipment is
necessarily a trying one, and the exhaustion of the men of the
150th, on again reaching the city, led many of them to estimate
the distance traversed that afternoon at twenty miles or more,
when in reality it did not exceed twelve or fourteen. Adjutant
Ashhurst is of the opinion that the command was to halt at
the "Soldiers' Home," outside of the city; but by a misunder-
standing it was led back to the " Soldiers' Rest."

Night had fallen when the latter place was reached, and as
neither tents nor other means of shelter were at hand, the regi-
ment bivouacked at will on door-steps, pavements, and open
lots, wherever a blanket could be spread to advantage or a body
overwhelmed with fatigue could stretch itself to rest.

On the following morning, September 6, the regiment was
placed under the control of General Wadsworth, then Military
Governor of the District of Columbia, by whose orders it pro-
ceeded to Meridian Hill and established a camp in a large grove,
at a point about one-fourth of a mile southwardly from Four-
teenth Street. West of this grove was a considerable stretch
of open ground, somewhat broken and irregular in its surface,

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. n

but fairly well adapted to drilling purposes. Tents were
promptly supplied for quartering both officers and men. The
shelter of the trees on warm afternoons was very grateful, and
the good taste and ingenuity of the members of the several
companies were soon apparent in the attractions and comforts
which distinguished the camp. Here Colonel Wister, who had
been relieved from his mission as a recruiting officer and mus-
tered on the 5th of September, joined his command and as-
sumed his proper functions.

Guard duty at some of the neighboring hospitals at once
absorbed the services of a large portion of the regiment, several
companies being detailed at a time. The men who were left in
camp were industriously exercised in squad, company, and bat-
talion movements, so that all in turn received much-needed
instruction. The disintegration of the command, however,
began before the camp was fairly established. On the 6th
Companies C and H were ordered to the Soldiers' Home,
where President Lincoln and his family were then staying, to
relieve some " regulars" who were on duty there; but, either from
a misunderstanding of the order or ignorance of the location
of the Home, they proceeded to the large frame building known
as the " Soldiers' Rest," near the Baltimore and Ohio Depot.
The regulars having left the Home, and no troops appearing to
take their place, an aide was sent to the camp of the 150th to
see what had become of the promised detail. Companies D
and K were then promptly started for the Soldiers' Home,
under proper guidance, and C and H were recalled to camp.

Companies D and K pitched their tents in a small sloping
field, or paddock, just outside of the neatly kept grounds of
the Home, but in view of the buildings. Their especial duty
was to guard the premises and look after the safety of the
nation's chief, whose life was even then believed to be more or
less in danger. Here Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper visited
them each day, inspecting the guards, instructing the men off

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

duty in company evolutions as well as in the manual of arms,
of which latter he was a complete master, and generally labor-
ing to promote the discipline and efficiency of both officers and
privates.

A few days after taking command of the regiment, Colonel
Wister received a message from General Wadsworth, asking
him if he could furnish an active and intelligent young officer
for temporary duty on his staff. Lieutenant J. Q. Carpenter,
of Company E, was selected, and, in an interview with the
general, made a sufficiently favorable impression to be at once
detailed as an aide. General Wadsworth was at that time the
Republican candidate for Governor of New York, but, being
defeated at the polls some weeks later by Horatio Seymour,
and requesting to be sent to the field, he was relieved from his
position as Military Governor of the District of Columbia and
put in command of the First Division of the First Corps, then
at Belle Plain. General Martindale succeeded him in the mili-
tary governorship, and, his staff being complete. Lieutenant
Carpenter rejoined his company.

On the 1 2th of September Company F was sent to Carroll
Hill to perform guard duty at Old Capitol Prison, — a service
which gave it occupation until the 23d of October, when it was
transferred to Harewood Hospital, where its duties were of a
more monotonous nature. While at Carroll Hill details were
made from its ranks from time to time, to escort bodies of rebel
prisoners to Fortress Monroe, by boat, and sometimes up the
James River to the vicinity of Richmond, where exchanges
took place under the supervision of the federal and rebel com-
missioners. In turn, most of the members of the company
were accorded " outings" of this kind, which they greatly en-
joyed, although the excursions were not without occasional
unpleasant features.

About the sam.e time that Companies D and K were assigned
to special duty at the Soldiers' Home, Company C was ordered

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 35

to the War Department, where its tents were raised on the
greensward just inside of the iron fence which separated the
grounds from Pennsylvania Avenue. The remaining companies
were permitted to linger at Meridian Hill some weeks longer.

Dr. Michael O'Hara reported for duty about the middle of
September, having been commissioned as assistant surgeon on
the 1 2th of that month. He had had experience as assistant
.surgeon in the United States navy, and had practised medicine
with success in Philadelphia. Being thus well qualified for his
position, it was not surprising that he should, within a few
weeks (November 13), be advanced to the rank of surgeon.

On the 23d of September, Major Chamberlin was mustered
and went to camp. At the time of receiving his commission
in the 150th he was still in hospital at Baltimore, quite lame
from his Peninsular wound ; but, learning that the Army of the
Potomac had passed into Maryland to head off Lee's invading
column, he asked for and obtained his discharge from the hos-
pital, and, hurrying to Washington, sought the earliest means of
reaching his old command, the 5th Pennsylvania Reserve.
Nothing better offered than a seat in the wagon of the regi-
mental sutler, which he promptly accepted, and after a fatiguing
ride of an afternoon and night, succeeded in joining the regi-
ment, then bivouacking near Frederick. Here he was made
acting major, and being kindly supplied with a horse by Adju-
tant Mason (subsequently brevet lieutenant-colonel on General
Meade's staff), was enabled to participate in the battles of South
Mountain and Antietam. When it became apparent that Lee's
army had escaped into Virginia, and that no further fighting
was imminent, he sent in his resignation, to accept promotion,
and returning by way of Harrisburg to Washington, joined the
150th. To him was immediately intrusted the care of the
companies at the Soldiers' Home, and up to the 22d of October
he visited them each day, inspecting the camp and guards and
exercising the men in all the more important company and

36 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

battalion movements. Here he several times witnessed the
arrival of the President, who, after the onerous duties of the
day at the White House, was driven to his summer retreat in
an open carriage, accompanied by an insignificant detail of
cavalry from " Scott's Nine Hundred" (generally nicknamed
" Scott's Blind Thousand"). Here, too, he frequently met little
Thomas Lincoln, vulgarly known as " Tad," who spent much
of his time in the camp, in which he seemed to have a weighty
sense of proprietorship. The President also was not an infre-
quent visitor in the late afternoon hours, and endeared himself
to his guards by his genial, kindly ways. He was not long in
placing the officers of the two companies at their ease in his
presence, and Captains Derickson and Crotzer were shortly on
a footing of such marked friendship with him that they were
often summoned to dinner or breakfast at the Presidential
board. Captain Derickson, in particular, advanced so far in the
President's confidence and esteem that in Mrs. Lincoln's absence
he frequently spent the night at his cottage, sleeping in the
same bed with him, and — it is said — making use of His Excel-
lency's night-shirts ! Thus began an intimacy which continued
unbroken until the following spring, when Captain Derickson
was appointed provost marshal of the Nineteenth Pennsylvania
District, with head-quarters at Meadville. First Lieutenant
Thomas Getchell succeeded to the captaincy of the company.

Of their service at the Soldiers' Home one of the most
pleasing recollections of Captain Crotzer and his men is of the
unvarying kindness of Mrs. Lincoln, who arranged, among
other things, that a midnight luncheon should always be ready
for the guards on duty, as in turn they were relieved from their
posts. Nor can they forget their first Sunday in the little camp,
remote from the stir and noise of Washington, when, having
been drawn up in line in the bright morning sunshine, their
captain reminded them that, though removed by their military
duties from the sweet influences of family and church, they

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 37

must not disregard the teachings of their youth or unlearn the
views which they had ever held and practised in reference to
the sanctity of the Christian Sabbath. Then followed reading
of the Scripture by the captain, and Private Peter Stahl closed
the impromptu service by invoking the Divine blessing to rest
upon the company, upon the armies of the republic, upon the
government, from its illustrious head to the humblest in public
station, to the end that peace might be speedily restored and
the country, reunited, go forward in a career of prosperity.

A few hours later President Lincoln sent for Captain Crotzer
and, grasping him warmly by the hand, assured him that he was
more than gratified to learn of the incident of the morning,
adding that when he heard of it he said to Mrs. Lincoln that
" witli a good God and Father above and a praying company of
men to guard them and their home, they need fear neither men
nor devils !^'

38 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER V.

SOCIAL AND OTHER MATTERS.

On account of the fragmentary condition of the command,
the field-officers were by no means overburdened with work,
and found abundant time — particularly in the evenings — for
social enjoyment. Each had his circle of acquaintances in the
city, into which the others were duly introduced ; and many an
exhilarating gallop from the camp to town, in the twilight, was
followed by pleasant hours of intercourse with interesting
people, paving the way, in some instances, to life-long friend-
ships. Quite a number of visitors of both sexes found their
way to the camp, to call on one or another of the officers, and
these were received with uniform courtesy and regaled with the
best that the limited stores of the mess-chest afforded. " Small
cheer and great welcome make a merry feast," and some of the
callers were so well pleased with their entertainment that an
offer of civilities in return was a natural sequence. Thus invi-
tations to one or two small evening gatherings were extended
to the field and staff and promptly accepted.

Among those who had tasted the hospitality of the camp, and
desired to reciprocate the attentions there received, was a family
from the interior of Pennsylvania, which had drifted to Wash-
ington at or before the beginning of the war, its head having
through political influence obtained a comfortable clerkship in
one of the government departments. The husband and father
was of a type not infrequently encountered, — smallish in stature,
but of expansive girth at the waist, with a broad, unctuous face,
and a crown marked by a Sahara of baldness which extended

PEIsfMSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 39

from brow to cerebellum, offering unlimited possibilities for
water-color or other decoration. His eyes were hardly large
enough for a head of such generous mould, but had a merry
twinkle about them which lent him an air of good-nature,
emphasized to a certain extent by a striking expanse of white
waistcoat and immaculate linen over a liberal area of chest and
aggressive stomach. His manner was that of one who " knows
it all," and jokes and stories of a pungent flavor adorned his
conversation, furnishing at all times visible satisfaction to the
speaker, if not to the listener. His wife was a spare, delicate-
looking creature, who in the service and companionship of such
a master had lost whatever claims she may have had to beauty,
and in her timid ways bore evidence of her bondage. Two
daughters, just grown to womanhood, had blessed their union,
and were attractive enough with the comeliness of youth ; but,
sharing in the disposition of the father rather than in that of
the mother, they were self-asserting beyond their years.

These persons appointed an evening on which they should
" esteem it an honor to entertain the principal officers of the
150th, and introduce them to a few friends." The invitation
was accepted, and at the designated hour those included in the
summons, in full regimentals, entered an appearance, arriving
early, as requested. They found the house largely illuminated
and wearing a festive air, but as the other guests had not yet ar-
rived, they were first ushered into the " library," whose claim to
that distinction was apparently founded upon the entire absence
of books. Here they were cordially received by their host of
the civil service, who, it was evident at a glance, was in an
advanced state of exhilaration. The " honor" had proved too
much for him. After a profusion of compliments, wine and
more substantial tipple were produced, the old story of the
general and the field-glass and corkscrew gayly aired, and the
success of the regiment duly toasted. With many smiles and
significant winks the host enumerated the various liquors which

40 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

he had provided for the occasion, and would have insisted on
having them all " sampled" on the spot had not his guests
broken away to the " drawing-room," at the suggestion of the
young ladies, who announced the arrival of the "few friends."
The head of the house must have indulged in the sampling
process on his own account, for above the noise of conversation
his voice could be heard from time to time, growing constantly
louder in its utterances, indicating a rapidly rising degree of
intoxication. Nearly an hour had passed when his swaying
form appeared in the door-way of the drawing-room, where, by
a series of ludicrous winks, gestures, and grimaces, he en-
deavored to entice his military friends to the library, to join
him in his potations. He was put off, however, by the words
" a little later," and returned to his solitary cups. Presently
sounds of grumbling came from his direction, suggestive of
disappointment; then exclamations of impatience, with a sus-
picion of profanity in them ; and finally everybody was pain-
fully conscious that the head of the house was hopelessly
drunk. The young ladies strove bravely to drown the objec-
tionable noise by lively conversation, and a loosely strung piano
lent its assistance to the same desirable end ; but the disturbing
ejaculations continued with greater violence, until embarrass-
ment was painted on every face and the small talk ceased alto-
gether. Then the timid wife plucked up courage enough to
remonstrate firmly, and by arguments whose tenor could only
be conjectured the boozy member was persuaded that he was
" out of order," and induced — with necessary support — to go
to bed.

For the ladies of the family, as well as for the guests, the
pleasure of the evening was shipwrecked, and as soon as the
inevitable " refreshments" had been served the military portion
of the company pleaded the necessity of an early return to
camp, and promptly took its leave.

On the 1 6th of October, Captain B. F. Janney, of Company

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 4 1

E, resigned from the service, and Lieutenant William S. Pine
was commissioned captain, of the same date.

Under the pretence of wishing to enlist in the regiment, but
really for the purpose of plundering, one of the numerous
" sharps" who then infested the national capital came to the
camp and attached himself to one of the companies. Before
the time for his muster arrived he was detected in some act of
thievery and promptly dragged to the guard-house for safe-
keeping. It was decided that he should be drummed out of
camp, and one pleasant afternoon in October, a little before
sunset, bareheaded, with his jacket reversed, and decorated in
front and rear with large placards on which were painted the
word " Thief," he was escorted by the drum-corps, to the tune
of the " Rogues' March," through the open ranks of the regi-
ment, beyond the limits of the grove, with the admonition
never to show his face in the neighborhood again. The jeers
and laughter of the men followed him until he was out of sight,
and the salutary lesson thus taught him by the 150th doubtless
cured him of any desire to practise his profession further in
military circles.

On the afternoon of October 21 several companies of the
150th marched to the camp of the 149th, where the two
regiments were drawn up in line to receive the long-delayed
State colors. Secretary Thomas made the presentation speech
on behalf of Governor Curtin, which was chiefly remarkable
for its length, while the replies of Colonels Stone and Wister
were brief and appropriate. After the presentation of the flags
three vigorous cheers were given for Governor Curtin, and the
troops returned to their quarters.

42 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER VI.

DETAILS FOR DUTY — BREAKING UP OF THE CAMP.

On the 22d of October, by order of the provost marshal of
Washington (Major W. E. Doster, of the 4th Pennsylvania
Cavalry, subsequently brevet brigadier-general), Major Cham-
berlin was detached, and appointed to the command of the
troops in Georgetown, consisting of eight companies of in-
fantry, drawn from the 135th and 149th Pennsylvania and
2d District of Columbia Volunteers. His head-quarters were
at Forrest Hall, at the corner of Gay and High Streets, — a
large building, the greater portion of which was occupied as a
depot for deserters arrested in all parts of the country. From
this point, after due examination and identification, the pris-
oners were sent from time to time, under guard, to the regi-
ments to which they belonged. Lieutenant Andrew B. McLain,
adjutant of the 135th, acted as adjutant of the post.

During the same month Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper was
detailed as a member of a court-martial, whose presiding officer
was Colonel Porter, of the 135th Pennsylvania, and whose ses-
sions continued during a great part of the winter.

It was not long until the larger portion of the regiment had
been detailed, by companies, to permanent guard duty in differ-
ent parts of the city, necessitating the breaking up of the camp
on Meridian Hill. Companies E and I were sent to Cliffburne
Hospital, and later, in turn, to Campbell Hospital and the
Baltimore and Ohio Depot. While on duty at the depot they
were encamped on North Capitol Street, near the Government
Printing-House. Company H served also at Cliffburne Hos-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 43

pital and at other points. Company A was established at the
Soldiers' Rest as early as September 26, where it was joined
by Company D before the President and his family returned to
the White House for the winter. Company K, which had com-
mended itself to the Chief Magistrate by the companionableness
of its captain and the admirable behavior of the men, was, at his
request, continued as his especial guard. The following note,
written by him, was of course accepted by the Military Gov-
ernor and the War Department as possessing all the force of a

positive order :

" Executive Mansion,

"Washington, November i, 1S62.
"Whom it may concern:

"Captain Derickson, with his Company, has been for some time
keeping guard at my residence, now at the Soldiers' Retreat. He and
his Company are very agreeable to me, and while it is deemed proper
for any guard to remain, none would be more satisfactory to me than
Captain D. and his Company. A. Lincoln."

Bates, in his " History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers," states
that this note was written in consequence of the wish of the
field-officers, as well as of some of the members of Company
. K, to have this company " ordered to the front to rejoin the
regiment, as the strength and efficiency of the command was,
in a measure, impaired by its absence," etc. As the regiment
did not leave Washington for the front until the middle of
February, 1863, and the note bears the date of November i,
1862, it will be seen that this statement was an error. Captain
Derickson's excellent standing with the President sufficiently
explains this written expression of the latter's feeling.

When, a few days after the above note was written, the
President returned to the White House for the winter. Com-
pany K joined in the " flitting," and pitched its camp on the
lawn a short distance south-east of the mansion. Here it
remained during the war.

Companies B and G continued in camp at Meridian Hill

44 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

until November lO, when they, together with the field and
staff, moved to a large vacant lot at Fourteenth and I Streets.
On the following morning another change of base took place,
and the tents were put up at the corner of L Street and Ver-
mont Avenue. It seems that the other lot was immediately in
front of the home of the Secretary of War, who (as the adju-
tant surmised) had the bad taste to dislike being aroused by
reveille at 6.30 a.m.

The men were sn^igly quartered in the new location, and
here the formality of guard-mounting was kept up, though the
daily duty of a large portion of the command lay at one or
another of the numerous military hospitals. The quarter-
master established his head-quarters and stores at the new
camp, and dispensed a generous hospitality to his numerous
friends.

On the 1 8th of November, Assistant Surgeon James Fulton
was transferred to the 143d Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers,
Assistant Surgeon Henry Strauss, who had been mustered on
the 19th of September, replacing him in the 150th. The 143d
had arrived on the nth of November, and had been placed
under General Casey. Colonels Stone and Wister bent their
efforts to have it brigaded with their commands, under Stone,
in which they had the hearty co-operation of Colonel Puleston
and of the officers of the 143d. When, a few months later,
these regiments took the field, their wish was gratified.

Colonel Wister and Adjutant Ashhurst, having no mandate
for special duty, and finding themselves comparatively without
occupation, wisely determined to make themselves as com-
fortable as possible, and rented a furnished house on M Street,
near Twelfth. Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper enlisted also in
the enterprise and shared the running expenses of the estab-
lishment. In this modest military home they were joined by
Mrs. Ashhurst, the adjutant's young and accomplished wife,
together with her infant daughter. Miss Harriet, who was thus

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 45

adopted, in a manner, as the " Daughter of the Regiment."
With a sufficient corps of domestics, Mrs. Ashhurst assumed
charge of the housekeeping, and presided over her mihtary
family with such grace and ability that the house became a not
unimportant social centre, and a delightful rallying-point for
friends of the field and staff who visited Washington during
the winter.

It was here that Colonel Wister gave a reception on New
Year's Day, 1863, which was largely attended by his military
friends as well as by many from civil life, and proved an
immense success. The memory of the eggnog which graced
the occasion still lingers fragrantly with those of the partici-
pants who were fortunate enough to survive the perils of the
war, and, fondly recalling the pleasant conviviality of the even-
ing, the few remaining officers of the 150th are entitled to
indulgence if now and then they murmur to themselves, in the
plaintive language of Hans Breitmann, " Vere is dot barty now ?"

While thus enjoying the comforts and pleasures of a home, the
colonel and adjutant were not unmindful of the scattered com-
mand, but kept themselves thoroughly informed of its condi-
tion, and so far as possible endeavored to see that proper
discipline was everywhere maintained. With this end in view
they visited the several points at which the companies were
stationed, to inspect the arms, clothing, quarters, and conduct
of the men, and spur the officers to a careful and conscientious
discharge of their duties. This was the more necessary on
account of the many allurements which the capital held out for
indulgence in idleness and dissipation.

On one occasion, while visiting the camp of Companies B
and G, Colonel Wister found Captain Jones, of Company B,
acting as officer of the day, and accompanied him on a tour of
the camp-guard to observe the bearing of the men on post and
ascertain whether they were fully instructed in the ceremonial
part of their duties. All went satisfactorily until they reached

46 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

one of the sentinels belonging to Company G, who, seeing the
officers approach, brought his piece to a shoulder and, facing
outward, threw his left hand across his breast to the gun-stock,
the usual salute for a line-officer.

" Why don't you present arms ?" asked the colonel. " Don't
you know the proper salute for a field-officer?"

" I wasn't salutin' you," retorted the man ; " I was salutin'
' Cap' Jones."

The colonel's stern look dissolved in a smile which brought
in evidence his superb teeth, and he moved on without a word
of censure ; but " Cap" Jones was admonished to use especial
pains to enlighten the guards on all matters of military
etiquette.

Company B was soon after ordered to join F for duty at
Harewood Hospital, and G being likewise detailed for similar
service in another part of the city, the 150th as an organized
body was temporarily in eclipse.

The scattering of the regiment and the breaking up of the
camp at Meridian Hill w^ere doubtless beneficial to the health
of the command, which had suffered frightfully from the
unwholesome conditions prevailing in that locality. Between
the height and the city proper, at no great distance from the
position occupied by the 150th, was a wide belt of vacant
ground, marshy in places, but at other points sufficiently firm
to form a dumping-place for refuse of every description from
the outlying portions of the capital. Various forms of malaria
speedily developed among the men, its ravages being especially
noticeable in the country companies, nearly one-third of whose
numerical strength was presently in the hospitals. One or two
officers and many soldiers died during the autumn, while many
others were permanently incapacitated for service. First Lieu-
tenant Cincinnatus Topham, of Company B, a young officer of
much promise and greatly esteemed in the regiment, died at
Washinerton on the 8th of November. Among- the sufferers

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 47

from the unwholesome surroundings of the camp were Lieu-
tenants Tryon, Chancellor, and Taylor, of whom the last named
laid the foundation of permanent ill health, and was compelled
to retire from the service on the first of February following.
Even after a change of location, the disastrous effects of their
few weeks' exposure to the malarial atmosphere of Meridian
Hill were plainly visible in some of the companies, whose
dutiable strength was seriously reduced.

During the latter part of October and beginning of Novem-
ber the regiment was several times on the point of being sent
to the field, — once through the efforts of Brigadier- General
Thomas L. Kane, who coveted the " Bucktail Brigade," and
once as a part of General Foster's command in Burnside's coast
expedition. On the 30th of October, Adjutant Ashhurst writes,
" Colonel Huidekoper saw Colonel Puleston yesterday. The
colonel told him that a general of Foster's command had ap-
plied to him that day for assistance in getting new regiments to
join them at Newbern. He had strongly recommended that
General Foster should apply for us and the 149th, which he
(Puleston) thought would be done, and with success. He
added that he thought about three. weeks would bring us
orders for North Carolina."

A day or two later the adjutant wrote, "Kane nearly had
us. He got the regiments separated, bringing Colonel Wister
under him and destroying Colonel Stone's hope of a brigade ;
but, thanks to Colonel Puleston's friendship and energy, and
to our having a commander-in-chief here who outranked the
general under whose orders we were to move, we escaped the
fate impending for us."

General Kane seems to have succeeded in obtaining an order
embodying the 150th in his command, but by the active exer-
tions of Colonel Stone and others in interest the order was
speedily undone.

"It was on this occasion, I think," says the adjutant, " that

48 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

the letter of President Lincoln, requesting the retention of
Company K as his guard, was written. Many of the regiment
were so weary of the prolonged inaction, and the wasting of
its strength at the capital by disease, that they chafed very
much at the countermanding of these orders."

Learning that his regiment was under marching orders.
Major Chamberlin at once asked to be relieved from his im-
portant post at Georgetown, and returned to his proper com-
mand, with which he remained from the 2d until the i8th of
November. He was then instructed to resume his position
as commandant at Georgetown, relieving Lieutenant-Colonel
Drew, of the 2d District of Columbia Volunteers. From this
date until the middle of February, 1863, the peaceful monotony
of winter-quarters in Washington was undisturbed.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 49

[CHAPTER VII.

WASHINGTON IN THE WINTER OF 1862-1863.

The expression "monotony of winter- quarters in Washing-
ton," as used at the end of the preceding chapter, is meant to
convey an idea of the disappointment and restiveness of both
officers and men at being detained, midway on their march to
active usefulness and possible glory, to do the work of " parade
soldiers," and their unmistakable preference for the toils and
dangers of " the front," rather than to describe the impression
made upon them by the routine service to which they were as-
signed, and by their surroundings in the little, great city. Life
was anything but monotonous there. As the capital of the
republic, the seat of its legislature and of the national treasure-
house, — the point to which a majority of the mighty host of vol-
unteers who rose to sustain the government converged, and to.
which supplies of immeasurable quantity and almost incalculable
value were brought to be distributed among the various armed
bodies in the field ; the centre where plans of campaign were
projected, discussed, rejected, or adopted; from which orders
were issued to armies and military departments, and to which
reports of all offensive and defensive operations were promptly
sent, — Washington, the " City of Magnificent Distances," with
its comparatively small fixed population, had, long before the
end of the second year of hostilities, become the scene of more
movement, and occupied greater prominence in the eyes of the
people, than any other place in the land. In addition to the
distinguished men who were an immediate part of the govern-
ment, or upheld it in Congress and in the Supreme Court, the

50 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

governors of great States were frequently seen in its streets,
coining on friendly summons, or of their own motion, to
strengthen the hands of the President and offer unstinted aid
to the cause of the Union. Prominent citizens of every occu-
pation and profession, from every loyal commonwealth, visited
the capital to confer with the heads of departments or with
their representatives in Congress, and offer prudent counsel in
times of general uneasiness. Distinguished foreigners, and
many who were not distinguished, were drawn thither to look
at the war from a safe distance and calculate the chances of the
success or failure of the side which held their sympathies.
Adventurers, foreign and domestic, by scores and hundreds,
found it an attractive field for their peculiar gifts, and haunted
its hotels and public places in the hope of " striking luck" in
some shape or manner, they cared not zvliat or Iwiv. Thou-
sands and tens of thousands of patriotic people, whose sons, or
brothers, or other relations were with the active forces in Vir-
ginia, gravitated to Washington at one time or another, moved
by the desire to see their " heroes," if possible, or get a little
nearer to them, and witness something of the " pomp and cir-
cumstance" of actual war. Many were there to comfort their
own flesh and blood, or minister to their wants, as these lay
wounded or sick in the numerous hospitals. Tens of thousands
of others, equally patriotic, — who knows ? — drifted to the capi-
tal, as they would have drifted to some famous summer resort,
out of mere curiosity and to see or hear something new.

At all times the streets of the city presented a pleasing suc-
cession of kaleidoscopic effects. Now a regiment or two of new
troops on their way to the front, with full ranks in bright, fresh
uniforms, marched through some of the principal streets with
drums beating and colors flying, preceded, followed, and almost
surrounded by an admiring and noisy crowd of idle negroes
recently from Dixie, — already known as " contrabands," and
persuaded that they counted for something in this great na-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 51

tional upheaval. Now a long train of government wagons
with canvas tops, drawn by a mixed force of horses and mules,
and laden with every kind of army supply, moved in creaking
procession along Pennsylvania Avenue, laboring through ruts
that were as frequent and almost as dangerous as the crevasses
of a Swiss glacier. Now a battery of artillery or a squadron
of cavalry, led by cheery bugle notes, swept over the same
broad but hopelessly swampy thoroughfare, arresting the
attention of the thousand saunterers on its sidewalks and call-
ing the not too busy trades-people to their windows and doors.
Sometimes, but not often, a brigade or division of veterans
from the front, with bronzed faces and clothing that told plainly
of long marches, night-watches, bivouacs, and mud, as their
tattered flags told of hard-fought battles, marched proudly
through the city to the music of their bands, gladdened by the
plaudits which met them at every turn, on their way to new
fields of activity in the South or West. At all hours, by day
and night, mounted officers and orderlies, with clanking sabres,
dashed hither and thither, bearing verbal or written messages
to or from the War Department, the head-quarters of the mili-
tary governor, or the numerous fortified posts in and around
the capital. On the streets, and particularly on Pennsylvania
Avenue, the national uniform was nearly as frequent as the
costume of the civilian, and a simultaneous raid throughout its
length, at any reasonable hour, would doubtless have resulted
in the bagging of a score of brigadier-generals, an entire com-
pany of colonels, and a regiment of officers of inferior rank.
The showy trappings, borrowed from European armies, with
which a General Blenker or a Colonel d'Utassy paralyzed the
beholder in the earlier period of the war, were no longer to be
seen anywhere, having given place to the more modest dress
prescribed by the " Regulations," then an inexorable foe to the
pleasing element of variety.

Washington was not then the grandiose city that it is to-day.

52 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

With the exception of the Capitol, the Treasury, and a few
other important structures, there were no buildings which pre-
sented any particular architectural merits, and most of them
bore contemptible proportions to the generous plan of the city,
giving an impression, to the visitor, of a place which had utterly
failed to grow up to its opportunities. Even the Washington
Monument, now the most striking memorial shaft in the world,
helped to deepen this unpleasant impression, having ceased to
rise at a height of between one and two hundred feet, and look-
ing more like a ruin than a triumph of the builder's art. Yet
the town was full of life, full of business and social enterprise,
with a feverish desire on the part of its permanent and tran-
sient population to be amused. In spite of the " horrors of
war," and in the face of depressing reverses to our arms, people
ate, drank, and were merry. Gautier's and other prominent
restaurants coined money, and Harvey's steamed-oyster estab-
lishment with difficulty supplied its clamorous customers.
Hotel bars and drinking-saloons flourished as they had never
flourished before. The theatres, such as they were, drew good
houses, irrespective of the merits of the plays presented by
their managers. Not that there were not, from time to time,
good plays and good companies, for the finest stars, both
theatrical and operatic, visited Washington, as they visited all
cities which held out the allurement of gain ; but mediocrity
was the rule, startling talent the exception. At times there
was an embarrassment in the choice of amusements. Forrest,
no longer of the athletic frame and thunderous voice which in
earlier years had so well fitted him for the " pet" characters in
his repertoire, might be heard heaving his unfathomable sigh
as Othello, at the " National," while at the " Old Washington"
one might roar with continuous laughter at the brilliant puns
of " Pocahontas," spoken by its author, John Brougham, and
such inimitable associates as Joe Jefferson, Chanfrau, and John
Sleeper Clarke.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 53

But the resort /«r excellence of the soldier and transient vis-
itor was the " Variety Theatre," managed by one Sinn, whose
name, perhaps, would not have been less appropriate with the
final " n" omitted. This theatre had the virtue of cheapness,
and a license in the dress and speech of its "artistes," which
especially commended it to the pockets and tastes of the men
who carried the musket. They wanted diversion of a pungent
flavor; songs which reminded them of home and their own
youthful escapades and courtships ; jokes of a broadly sugges-
tive kind, touching (and sometimes passing) the border line of
propriety; and sharp hits at the sometimes too obvious mis-
management of our armies. All this they had here, to say
nothing of the graceful gambols of Julia Mortimer and the
Pennoyer sisters, in costumes of such scantiness as brought
into bold relief their shapely limbs and alluring busts. The
closing song and tableau, in which the " whole strength of the
company" appeared, were invariably of a patriotic character,
and emphasized with such a profuse display of the national
colors, and such vigorous waving of the stars and stripes, that
nightly the audience broke up in a tempest of enthusiasm.

Many gambling-houses existed in Washington at that time,
and to those acquainted with the sport of " fighting the tiger,"
their entrances were easily recognizable after night. Some of
these dens were luxurious in their appointments, with the
added attraction of a free lunch of the best that the markets
afforded, and those who frequented them night after night
were counted by scores. The sums which changed hands i-n a
few hours were often large, and many a poor devil of an officer
who had come to the city on a two days' leave of absence,
with ample provision of money for his expected needs, found
himself under the necessity of borrowing from his friends or
resorting to his " uncle" to meet his hotel bill and legitimate
expenses, in consequence of an ill-advised visit to one of these
seductive " midnight banks."

54 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

In spite of the depressed state of public feeling which fol-
lowed the abortive attack on Fredericksburg and the mem-
orable "mud march," social gayety was the rule in Washington ;
and while expensive balls were not frequent, many an improvised
dance took place at Willard's and other large hostelries, graced
by the presence of some of the fairest and most distinguished
women in the city, with whom the dashing young officers on
duty in the District were glad of an opportunity of whirling in
the waltz, or charging over the luxuriously carpeted floors to
the spirited music of the Lancers. Society regretted the
gloomy military outlook, but ate and danced and slept as if
the national sky were all rose color. Society had faith in the
resources of the government and in the final success of our
arms. While society reposed serenely after its pleasant fatigues,
the government never slept. At the White House night was
often turned into day, and the vigilant eye of the nation's chief
was upon every movement of the great military game upon
whose issue the life of the republic depended. In the bureaux
of the Secretary of War the telegraph never ceased its tick.
At the Treasury the sturdy form of the old " watch-dog,"
General Spinner, might be seen at his desk at midnight and in
the small hours before the dawn. Thus, while throughout the
city the sounds of merry-making went on by night as well as
by day, there was also to be found, in the proper quarters, that
" eternal vigilance" which is the " price of liberty."

But what has this to do with the history of the 150th?
Only that the 150th saw or knew much of what has been thus
rudely shadowed, and the memory thereof will be a pleasing
one to the latest survivor of the regiment to his dying day.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 55

CHAPTER VIII.

TO THE FRONT — BELLE PLAIN.

At last, about the middle of February, came the welcome
order to join the Army of the Potomac. Shortly before, the
regimental camp had been fixed on North Capitol Street, a few
squares north of the Baltimore and Ohio Depot, and here the
several companies — except K, which remained at the White
House — were again brought together before the start for the
front. On the 14th the various details were relieved from
guard duty, and hurriedly packed and disposed of their surplus
"belongings," so as to be ready to move at a moment's notice.
Three days' rations were prepared and distributed the same day.

On the morning of the 15th the 149th and 150th gathered
on the banks of the Potomac, and after much delay embarked
on the steam-transport " Louisiana." The morning was raw
and gloomy, but both officers and men were in great feather at
the idea of going to the front, and an incessant fire of jokes
well reflected their state of feeling. Rain, followed by a light
snow, had fallen in the night, and the tread of eleven hundred
pairs of muddy shoes (for that was about the strength of the
combined regiments) soon covered the decks and cabins with
a disagreeable coating of slime. A slow but pleasant run of
six hours brought the boat to Aquia Creek at nightfall, where
it was announced that the troops would remain on board until
morning. The " Louisiana" offered rather limited accommo-
dations for so many men, and with all the authority exercised
by the non-commissioned officers, aided by an occasional visit
from the " line," the " high privates" could not be prevented

56 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

from indulging in such practical joking and such outbursts of
hilariousness that, even to those who desired and needed rest,
sleep was practically impossible.

On the morning of the i6th, after more or less ineffectual
efforts to remove the evidences of miscellaneous huddling on
pasty floors, the entire force was transshipped on smaller boats
and landed at Belle Plain, where it was soon joined by the
151st Pennsylvania, which had come down on another trans-
port, nearly a thousand strong. Ranks were presently formed,
and the 150th filed through the mud and over the hills, past
Fort Thunderbolt, to a small grove of stunted pines on a hill-
side about two and a half miles inland. Here the regiment
halted, stacked arms, and prepared to encamp. The 149th and
151st, which followed a little later, found positions to their
liking in groves of larger trees near by. On the same day the
three regiments were brigaded together, under the command of
Colonel Roy Stone, of the 149th, forming the Second Brigade
of the Third Division, First Army Corps. The evening was
mild and pleasant, and, sitting around their bright camp-fires,
the men, pleased with their new experience and with the visits
of old friends who had passed the winter in the field, made the
woods resound with patriotic songs and cheers, until the inex-
orable " taps" drove them to their quarters.

During the night a heavy snow-storm set in, accompanied
by a fierce wind, and continued with unabated violence all the
next day and night, covering the ground to the depth of a foot.
It was a rude welcome to the field. On the morning of the
17th, in the midst of the storm, nearly one-half of the regiment
was detailed for picket service on a line some miles distant, and
for the first time began to realize how much pleasanter, after
all, was their humdrum duty, with comfortable quarters, in the
city of Washington. That evening, probably on the recom-
mendation of competent medical authority, orders were sent
down through the " proper channels" to distribute a ration of

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 57

whiskey to the men, — an article previously unnamed in the
scanty list of gratuitous luxuries from time to time supplied by
the commissary department. So far as the men in camp were
concerned, it was an easy thing to make the distribution ; but
with night descending, a foot of snow on the ground, oblit-
erating all roads and paths, the snow still falling, and no guide
to the picket line, how was the cheering beverage to be par-
celled out to those walking their lonely beats on the banks of
the Rappahannock, or across the broad acres of the rebel Sec-
retary of War, Seddon, whither the line stretched in its
irregular windings ? The determination and genius of the
regimental quartermaster, Voorhis, were equal to the emer-
gency. Summoning to his assistance one or two of the most
faithful of his non-commissioned staff, and accepting Lieutenant
Beckwith, of G Company, as a volunteer aide, the whiskey was
transferred to canteens and these divided among the party, who,
equipped as for arctic explorations, and mounted upon the
choicest animals at the quartermaster's disposal, set out in the
darkness on their mission of mercy. Lieutenant Beckwith was
naturally the leader of the expedition. Long experience in
the mountains and lumber-camps of Pennsylvania had famil-
iarized him with the work of following trails, and, but for the
wind and blinding storm, he would probably have led his little
band with unerring directness to its destination. Here his
woodcraft was comparatively unavailing. Roads and by-paths
were utterly erased by the masses of drifting snow, and not a
landmark was known to any of the party to aid them in follow-
ing a fixed direction. As a consequence, they strayed, — strayed
widely, — and only after hours of toilsome wandering, during
which it became necessary to draw on their supplies for bodily
warmth and spiritual encouragement, were they successful in
stumbling on one of the sentinels and obtaining information
which enabled them to reach the reserve. Here they were
welcomed with becoming warmth, especially when the object

58 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

of their visit became known, and rumor runs that, either from
sudden joy at the discovery of their comrades or excessive
thankfulness at their escape from unseen dangers, one or two
of the gallant little band were quite " too full for utterance."

The portion of the command which had been left in camp
was not idle, even during the storm, but busied itself with the
axe among the young pines, preparing material for permanent
housekeeping. The pickets, who returned after a tour of duty
lasting two days, at once joined in this important work, and
before many days had gone by the entire regiment was snugly
settled in huts that defied the winter weather.

In the absence of Colonel Stone, Colonel Wister assumed
command of the brigade on the 17th, by order of General
Doubleday, Adjutant Ashhurst performing the duties of acting
assistant adjutant-general. Lieutenant Charles P. Keyser re-
placed the latter as acting adjutant. A plentiful crop of orders
began to appear, and the officers who handled the pen at
brigade and regimental head-quarters had no sinecure.

On the 19th of February the 143d Pennsylvania, Colonel E.
L. Dana, of Wilkesbarre, commanding, arrived from Washing-
ton and replaced the 151st, which was transferred to the First
Brigade. The 135th Pennsylvania, Colonel Porter, had also
been added to the same brigade, which then consisted of four
regiments, including, in addition to the two already named, the
12 1st Pennsylvania, Colonel Chapman Biddle, and the I42d
Pennsylvania, Colonel Robert P. Cummins. The division,
which was commanded by Major-General Abner Doubleday,
contained at that time but two brigades, — seven regiments in
all, and all Pennsylvanians.

Colonel Stone arrived on the 19th and took command of the
Second Brigade, relieving Colonel Wister. At his urgent in-
stance, Major Chamberlin consented to act as assistant adjutant-
general until everything should be in good working order, and
occupied the position for the next two or three weeks. The

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 59

colonel had been married quite recently, and his wife came to
share his quarters as soon as they were established. Between
the issuing of orders to his brigade and his attentions to his
estimable spouse, Colonel Stone was one of the busiest and
happiest officers in the Army of the Potomac.

As soon as the camp was in thoroughly good condition and
the snow had disappeared from the ground, as it did in less
than a week, the drills of the 150th became almost incessant.
The mornings were usually devoted to company exercises, su-
perintended by one of the field-officers. These were followed
by skirmish movements, in which several companies partici-
pated, every movement being regulated first by verbal command
and then by the corresponding bugle notes, until the men were
sufficiently familiar with the latter to dispense with oral orders.
A portion of the afternoon was occupied with regimental
drill, in which the utmost possible precision was aimed at in
executing each order, whether in the manual of arms or in the
active field manoeuvres. As a consequence, the progress of
the regiment was rapid, and its discipline was soon in marked
contrast with that of some of the older conmiands. Of the
old troops in the neighborhood, it was painfully evident that
many had lost spirit, and that the enthusiasm of the entire
army had been seriously tempered by the total failure of the
operations under General Burnside. The appointment of Gen-
eral Plooker to succeed him did something to correct this
depression, but for several weeks the weather was such that
the men were compelled to remain in idleness in their camps,
and the influence of the new commander could not be felt.
Regimental officers seemed to share in the moral fatigue which
followed Fredericksburg and the mud march, and, when days of
sunshine occurred and the ground was sufficiently firm for drill-
ing, were slow to take advantage of the opportunity to exercise
and improve their commands. Colonel Stone's brigade was not
permitted to lapse into this condition of demoralizing repose, and

6o ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

from the moment of its arrival at Belle Plain might reasonably
have complained of too much hard work and too few holidays.
The good effects of this constant activity were speedily apparent
to the rank and file, and their daily duties were performed with
such cheerfulness and zeal that their example seemed to grow
contagious. In adjacent camps the sound of drum and bugle
began to be heard at unwonted hours. The lethargy which
had fettered them gradually yielded to a spirit of emulation,
and drills became the order of the day on every hand.

It must not be inferred from what has been hinted of an
obvious loss of enthusiasm on the part of many of the old
troops that they were wanting in patriotic impulse, or at all
mutinous in their disposition, or sceptical as to the final out-
come of the conflict, or that their courage was in the slightest
degree attainted. Their condition was the natural result of a
rebound from too great tension of mind and body in a cam-
paign which had taxed their utmost powers and ended in
disaster. They were exhausted and dazed. Under other cir-
cumstances their recovery would have been rapid, if not im-
mediate. A few days of rest and then a resumption of the
usual company, battalion, and brigade exercises in the open
field, under a clear sky, would have effected a perfect cure.
But circumstances were unfavorable. Long-continued rains
and alternate freezings and thawings had converted the camp-
ing-ground of the army into a vast mud-hole, which thwarted
the plans and intentions of its commanders and doomed the
men to almost absolute inaction. The roads over which the
supplies for this immense force had to be hauled were like
mortar-beds, of such depth and consistency, in places, that
both wagons and teams were in danger of being swallowed up ;
and, indeed, many a poor mule, bearing on his flanks the ini-
tials of his country, sank in the red ooze never to rise again.
But for the corduroying, which had been extensively resorted
to on the principal highways, the work of feeding such an army

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 6 1

would have presented almost insuperable difficulties. As it
was, the problem of properly provisioning the several corps
rested like a nightmare on the minds of both officers and men
of the subsistence department, driving them at times to the
very verge of lunacy. A propos of the roads, Adjutant Ash-
hurst says, " The principal avenue of communication between
the various divisions, and with army head-quarters, was a cor-
duroy road, built in a long, deep gully or watercourse, which
was aptly nicknamed the ' Valley of the Shadow of Death.'
It was probably the worst corduroy ever known. Its sides
were strewn with the skeletons of dead horses and mules, and
so rotten were many of its logs, and so full was it of holes, that
the rider who ventured to traverse it involuntarily breathed a
prayer that his own and the bones of his steed might not be
added to those which already garnished it. But such as it was,
until the sun began to dry the hill-sides and valleys, this dreary
route was the best and almost the only practicable highway
connecting the flanks of the army."

This was the condition of things at the time of the arrival
of the 150th, whose members were therefore not surprised,
while picking their way to their proposed camp, to be accosted
by some of the weather-stained veterans with such remarks as,
" No more Sunday soldiering, boys." " You'll soon get enough
of it." " Wait till you've had a mud march or two !"

A few bright, clear days in the latter part of February, and
long spells of sunny weather in March, worked a marvellous
change. With them came the dry ground and the general
activity which proved to be the medicine needed by the troops
to stimulate their relaxed energies and restore to their former
healthy and aggressive tone their jaded spirits. The mind and
hand of the new chief began to reach out to every portion of
his command, repairing and reshaping the great military ma-
chine intrusted to his care, on which the hopes of the country
so largely centred. All went well.

62 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER IX.

VARIOUS HAPPENINGS IN AND OUT OF CAMP.

Among the officers detailed to serve upon the staff of General
Doubleday, commanding the division, was Second Lieutenant
John Huidekoper, of Company E, 150th Pennsylvania Volun-
teers, who was made acting topographical officer, — a position
for which his foreign education (he was born and reared in
Holland), as well as his subsequent experience as a civil en-
gineer, well fitted him. He had been a sergeant in Company
E, 5th Pennsylvania Reserve, but was discharged in October,
1862, to accept promotion in the 150th, his muster in the
latter regiment dating October 31. In his own command and
also at division head-quarters he was familiarly known as
" Shacks," the designation arising from his imperfect pronun-
ciation of his own nickname, " Jack," which his Dutch tongue
was unable to handle correctly.

In his new capacity Lieutenant Huidekoper made careful
surveys of the roads and principal outlines of the country lying
between the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers, in the neigh-
borhood of the camps of the First Corps; but his observations
frequently extended many miles beyond the lines occupied or
picketed by the troops. On one occasion, when he had gone
an unusual distance from his base, he was approached by a
couple of mounted field-officers of another division, who had
been reconnoitring on their own account, and who found him
sitting on his horse, leisurely transferring to paper the salient
features of the district around him. As they rode up, one of
them exclaimed, " Good God ! Huidekoper, is that you ? We're
awfully glad to see you, for we're completely lost."

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 63

" Shesus Grist!" replied " Shacks," without so much as h'fting
his pencil from the paper, "so am I!"

Hurriedly finishing his sketch, however, and carefully taking
his bearings, he piloted his friends safely back to camp.

In a letter written February 23 the adjutant states that he is
having a hut built for an office, Sergeant Clark Wells, of Com-
pany G, having charge of its construction. He adds, " Colonel
Stone has been pouring in orders faster and faster."

On the 24th he writes, " This afternoon the log hut is finished,
and is a very fine thing. Old Wells has outdone himself. The
fierce flow of orders is drying up, I think, but it may be only a
temporary lull. . . , The tendency of the sickness of the men
is to enteritis, but the sick-list is very small, — only twenty in the
regiment. To be sure, we got rid of our worst cases in Wash-
ington, but we started to bring good out of evil when we
availed ourselves of the detail made on us of forty men for
various duties, to send off the lame, halt, blind, the drunken,
the very aged, the deaf, the incurably lazy and wholly worth-
less ; so that, except when they detailed the men by name, —
which they did in about six or seven cases, when, of course,
they took the very best, — our superiors did not make much out
of us."

In a letter dated March 7 the adjutant states, "We have a
good deal of sickness, but not so much as other regiments
around here, and our total per cent, for duty, with nine com-
panies, is almost as large as that of the 149th with ten com-
panies. We have two cases of small-pox, — one, I am soiry to
say, the handsome Corporal Mudge [Henry A. Mudge, of
Company I, subsequently sergeant, killed at Gettysburg, July
I, 1863] who used to bring our letters. ... I have a new clerk
now, — Elvidge, of Company A, — a nice boy, who writes fast
and pretty well, and is very handsome, which first attracted my
attention to him."

During the winter of 1862-1863 the Democratic press of the

64 ONE HUNDRED AND EIFTIETH

North was especially active in its efforts to hinder the adminis-
tration in a determined prosecution of the war, and to create
dissatisfaction not only at home but in the field. Its utterances
found but a feeble echo in the army, which, to its everlasting
glory, was firm in the belief that tlie rebellion could be sup-
pressed and in its purpose to stippress it. In the 150th the
feeling of resentment towards the " enemy in the rear" grew in
bitterness each day, until it could no longer be contained. On
the 8th of March, at the urgent instance of the company com-
manders. Adjutant Ashhurst prepared a paper, which was
signed by every field-, staff-, and line-officer present with the
regiment, requesting Colonel Wister to call a meeting of the
command for the purpose of giving expression to its senti-
ments. The meeting took place, and what was said and done
is thus related by the Washington Clironicle :

"another rebuke.

" Camp near Belle Plain, March 12, 1863.

"A meeting of the officers and soldiers of the 150th Regiment Penn-
sylvania Volunteers was held at the regimental head-quarters on the
eleventh day of March, 1863, in pursuance of the following call, signed
by all the officers of the regiment :

"'The undersigned, officers of the 150th Regiment Pennsylvania Vol-
unteers, respectfully request Colonel Wister, commanding the regiment,
to call a meeting for the purpose of expressing our earnest loyalty and
devotion to our country, and our detestation of the Northern traitors now
endeavoring to paralyze the efforts of the army in the field, and insid-
iously to overthrow their country's cause.'

" Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper was called to the chair, and Adjutant
R. L. Ashhurst appointed secretary.

" The object of the meeting having been stated by Major Chamberlin,
after appropriate and patriotic remarks by Colonel Wister, Adjutant Ash-
hurst, Lieutenant Huidekoper, Private Philip Hammer, Company A,
Lieutenant William P. Dougal, Company D, and Quartermaster A. S.
Voorhis, the following preamble and resolutions, offered by Major Cham-
berlin, were unanimously adopted amid great enthusiasm :

" ' Whereas, After nearly two years of the most patriotic sacrifices on

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 65

the part of our people and the most desperate trials and struggles on the
part of our army to restore our shattered Union and maintain our national
honor, our government finds itself assailed by a class of persons at home
who would yield it, Judas-like, into the hands of the enemy, or sully it by
a dishonorable compromise with the hosts of treason, and who are even
now trying to induce the masses to resist its lawful authority in order the
sooner to gain their hellish ends ; therefore,

" ' Resolved, That we hereby express our firm and unalterable devotion
to our government and its laws, and declare our determination to stand
by it at all hazards, pledging to the restoration of its entire authority " our
lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

" ' Resolved, That we look upon all proposals, from whatever source, to
give up this struggle on any other terms than the unconditional submission
of the traitors in arms against their country as disgraceful to those who
originate and to those who for a moment lend an ear to them.

" ' Resolved, That we condemn and repudiate as unworthy sons of their
country those who, staying at home in the North, are striving to cripple
the hands of their country's defenders ; who, under the garb of a false
patriotism and an assumed zeal for the Constitution, cavil at all measures
calculated to prostrate the rebellion ; and who endeavor to hold back and
paralyze the strong arm of right, now outstretched to crush the foul treason
which attacks the life of the nation.

'"Resolved, That we have no sympathy or feeling in common with
those who, from real or pretended admiration of any man or general,
would make their earnestness in their country's cause, or perhaps their
loyalty, dependent on, or subordinate to, their personal feelings ; that we
are ready and anxious to fight for our country under whatever commander
we may be placed, and under none with greater alacrity than our present
commander-in-chief.

''' Resolved, That as we believe that "fighting for Southern rights''
means nothing more than warring for the extension of slavery, which we
regard alike as a curse to the land and a great moral wrong, we hail with
joy the President's proclamation doing away with that institution in every
State in which rebellion exists, and hope soon to see it forever blotted
from our soil.

" ' Resolved, That our feeling towards traitors, both North and South, is
one of implacable hatred, and that, while this army has bullets for those
at the South, it has also heels broad enough and heavy enough to crush
the vile "copperheads" of the North if they persist in their insidious at-
tempts to weaken and overthrow the government.'

" Major Chamberlin ; Captain Widdis, Company A ; Captain Reisinger,

66 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Company H ; Quartermaster Voorhis, and Adjutant Ashhurst were ap-
pointed a committee for the publication of these resolutions.
" On motion, adjourned.

" H. S. HUIDEKOPER,

" Lie7itenant- Colotiel i^oth Regiment P. V., Chairfiian.
" R. L. Ashhurst,

" AdjutaJit ijoth Regiment P. V., Secretary."

The same report of the proceedings of. the meeting was
published in the Philadelphia Press and the Neiv York Tribune.
In the preparation of the series of resolutions, Major Cham-
berlin and Adjutant Ashhurst collaborated. The gathering
took place a little before sunset, on the brow of the hill on
whose side the company quarters were located, and presented
a noteworthy picture, officers and men mingling like so many
citizens at a political rally at hoine. Here, however, there was
no division of opinion. Those who had been known as Demo-
crats before entering the service were now emphatic in their
denunciation of the attitude of their old party. The meeting
broke up in the twilight with cheers for the Union, the Presi-
dent, the army, — for everything loyal, — and the effect was good
and lasting.

On the same evening, attracted possibly by the cheers from
the camp. Captain O'Rourke, of the ist Regiment Pennsyl-
vania Reserve, came to visit his old friend, the major, and over
a glass of the mellowest " commissary" rehearsed, in language
full of color, the story of Burnside's disastrous attack on the
heights of Fredericksburg. A short time before that event the
ambulance service in the army, which had been indifferently
managed under the direction of the medical department, was
thoroughly reorganized, with a view to its greater efficiency.
The captain was detailed to take charge of the ambulances of
the First Corps, and in that capacity rendered such important
service during the progress of the battle as to receive the
warmest commendations from corps, division, and brigade com-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 6/

manders. After relating at much length the part which he had
had in the fight, the captain wound up by saying, " When they
first proposed to me the command of the Ambulance Corps, I
thought it an infayrior and maynial position ; but I found it a
place for great achayvements and high considerations !" With
his rich Irish brogue and earnest manner (stimulated, perhaps,
by the contents of his glass), this peroration was inimitable.

As the camp of the regiment lay upon the side of a hill with
a pretty sharp slope, it had the advantage of quick drainage in
wet weather, and never became uncomfortably boggy. The
health of the command was generally good. During the
month of March a few cases of varioloid developed among the
men, but those attacked were speedily removed to a field hos-
pital at a safe distance, and the disease was readily checked.
Measles also appeared in one or two companies, but by the
prompt action of the medical department this scourge was also
prevented from spreading. Among those who were treated for
this latter complaint was Lewis, the colored cook at regimental
head-quarters, who continued to perform his duties as cook and
waiter until his face bore unmistakable evidence of the nature
of his ailment. Singularly enough, every member of the head-
quarters mess was spared. Surgeon O'Hara and Assistant Sur-
geon Henry Strauss easily looked after all the cases of sickness
in the camp, and for the most part the several companies pre-
sented themselves with fairly full ranks for the purposes of
drill, review, and inspection.

On the 17th of March the adjutant writes, " We lost another
man last night, — Sergeant Tanner, of Company E, a very fine
fellow. He came down here when he ought to have gone to
the general hospital. We applied for a furlough for him a few
days since, the exposure here having utterly prostrated him,
but it came back approved too late. He had only an hour or
two to live, poor fellow! We got it last night about 9.30; he
died early this morning."

68 OSE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

On the 19th of March the field and staff were completely
upset by the receipt of the following announcement, close on
whose heels came the order giving effect to the President's
decree :

"The President directs that Captains Widdis and Jones, 150th Penn-
sylvania Volunteers, be dismissed the service, and all back pay be stopped,
for drawing pay on false and fraudulent accounts.

" L. Thomas,
" Adjutant- General^

The captains named were highly prized for their intelligence
and efficiency, and the regiment could ill afford to lose them.
Coming without a previous note of warning, this cruel order
fell with the severity of a trip-hammer blow, for the moment
almost stunning the few who had knowledge of it.

Allusion has already been made to the fact that while re-
cruiting his company at Germantown, Captain Jones subsisted
a large number of his men at Napfle's Hotel for several days,
incurring a bill of some proportions. Captain Widdis's men
found board and lodging at home or among their friends in
Germantown, with the understanding that if commutation for
their rations could be obtained from the government they were
to be reimbursed for their outlays. Both captains filed a claim
in due form for this subsistence, to which in equity they were
clearly entitled. It appears, however, as has been previously
intimated, that, without their knowledge, Quartermaster-Ser-
geant Bringhurst, or some other person, had drawn the rations
of the two companies (or the commutation therefor) and diverted
the same to his own use, charging them in due form to Jones's
and Widdis's commands. No other explanation of the matter
seems possible, as all the officers' pay-rolls passed through
regimental head-quarters and were found correct ; and neither
Captains Widdis and Jones nor any other captain had " drawn
pay on false and fraudulent accounts." Quartermaster-Ser-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 69

geant Bringhurst deserted in January, 1863, and this fact gives
strength to the belief that he was at the bottom of the trouble.
Of course the War Department, on receipt of the statement of
the quartermaster (Ruff) at Philadelphia, showing that the sup-
plies had been duly issued, without inquiring into the details
of the affair, jumped to the conclusion that the two officers
were endeavoring to defraud the government, and the order for
their dismissal followed.

Fortifying themselves promptly with letters and certificates
from their superior officers, bearing on the facts of the case
and attesting their integrity and soldierly worth, Captains
Widdis and Jones hastened to Washington, accompanied by
the good wishes of their many friends, and in a few days, with
the assistance of Philadelphia Representatives in Congress and
other influential persons, succeeded in obtaining an interview
with President Lincoln, who, after a full hearing of their side
of the case, issued an order for their reinstatement. Quarter-
master Voorhis, who went to Washington in their behalf,
proved a valuable re-enforcement, seconding their efforts with
great intelligence and ability.

On the 1st of April they returned to camp, where their ap-
pearance was the occasion of much rejoicing. It is needless
to add that not a dollar of their claim was ever recovered from
the government.

Concerning the arbitrary dismissal of the two captains. Ad-
jutant Ashhurst wrote, on the 21st of March, "I drew up a
communication from the colonel to the adjutant-general, setting
forth their good qualities and earnestly appealing for a trial for
them. Colonel Stone approved it in a very handsome endorse-
ment. General Doubleday approved and forwarded it, and we
left it with Lieutenant- Colonel Kingsbury, who promised that
General Reynolds should endorse it up. The staff-officers at
head-quarters all expressed great sympathy and indignation at
the dismissal."

yo ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

On the 25th he wrote, " Colonel Wister and I have been out
to visit the picket line. We had a delightful ride. The weather
is thoroughly spring-like, alternately cloudy and sunshiny.
Doubleday wanted a piece of woods cut off that projected
over on our picket line, furnishing a fine cover for an attack.
I went out to give instructions to have it cut away. I have a
conversation of about ten minutes with the general every morn-
ing, when I receive a vast deal of information as to the art of
war. The general is a fine theorist. He is said to be slow in
the field, and perhaps he may be, but he has many fine quali-
ties, is very careful of his men, very painstaking, and is evi-
dently zealous in the cause. He is a very urbane, courteous
gentleman also.

" A large quantity of baggage from our regiment has been
packed and loaded to-day, to go to Washington."

Second Lieutenant George de V. Selden, of Company H,
having been appointed to the same grade in the 2d United
States Cavalry on the 31st of March, at once tendered his res-
ignation as an officer of the 150th, and being notified of its
acceptance early in April, left for his new command.*

On the 8th of April, Surgeon O'Hara resigned and returned
to his practice in Philadelphia, leaving the health of the regi-
ment to be cared for by the two assistant surgeons, Strauss and
Henderson. The latter, who had been assigned to the 150th
on the 29th of January, was himself in indifferent physical
condition, and saw little service with the command. He was
discharged on the 30th of June following, on certificate of
disability.

During the month of April the First Corps — indeed, a large
portion of the army — was abundantly supplied with fresh fish.

* Lieutenant Selden was a very gentlemanly young officer, — bright,
alert, and well fitted for his position. He died September 17, 1863, of
wounds received at Gettysburg.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. /I

chiefly shad, rock, and herring, of admirable size and quality,
from the government fisheries at Aquia Creek. These were a
welcome 'addition to the ordinary rations, and doubtless con-
tributed greatly to the health of the troops. Although not
furnished gratuitously, the price was put so low as to be easily
within the reach of the enlisted men, who, when off duty, could
be seen at almost any hour, singly or in groups, lugging the
precious food towards camp.

Spring was now fairly on the way, and a succession of in-
spections and reviews of the different corps announced that the
time for breaking up winter-quarters was approaching. The
First Corps, then one of the strongest in the army, was paraded
with much pomp and glitter on the beautiful ground of Belle
Plain, — which almost seemed to have been created for the pur-
pose,— under the scrutinizing glance of the President and a
brilliant retinue of officers, who could not but be favorably
impressed with the appearance and marching of the troops.
Certainly the latter never looked better, or stepped to the
music of the bands with a more perfect alignment or more im-
posing front. The return route was marked by a snow-fall of
paper collars, which, having served their purpose, were dis-
carded at the earliest moment. The white gloves with which
some of the regiments were provided were carefully preserved
for future use.

After this review, which was held the 9th of April, nothing
occurred to disturb the peaceful but busy routine of the 150th
until the 20th of that month.

72 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER X.

night march to port conway artillery engagement at

pollock's mills.

On the morning of April 20 the several regiments of Double-
day's division were instructed to provide themselves with three
days* cooked rations and be in readiness to move in light
marching order at a moment's notice. The word was received
by the 150th with great enthusiasm, for, although the direction
and destination of the movement were unknown, the men were
eager to engage in serious work.

The column started late in the afternoon, taking a south-
easterly course across the fields for some miles, when it struck
a road leading through King George's Court-House, and fol-
lowed it. Night presently came on, and with it a heavy and
persistent rain, soaking the troops to the skin and turning the
old Virginia highway into the semblance of a hog-wallow,
through which they floundered with difficulty in the darkness.
For a long distance the route lay in the woods, and the road
being overflowed by one or two swollen brooks which crossed
it, the column splashed through water knee-deep, making
humorous demands for " gun-boats" with which to continue
the journey. Frequently a burst of laughter, accompanied by
cries of " Brace up !" told of disaster to some unwary plodder
whose foot had turned on a slippery stone, or who had been
tripped by a submerged root, dooming him to an unwelcome
bath. The men marched cheerfully and well, but in the intense
darkness and under such trying conditions it was impossible to
maintain the regulation " distance." The column naturally

PEA NS YL VAN/A VOL UNTEERS. 7 3

Strung out to an undue length, necessitating frequent halts to
enable it to close up. About ten o'clock the head of the regi-
ment overtook the 121st Pennsylvania, or the larger part of it,
under Major Biddle, who said the road was impassable ; but the
150th pushed ahead and got through. Between two and three
A.M, the march was arrested, a few fires were built with much
effort, and officers and men stretched themselves in the dryest
places that could be found for a little sleep. When morning
dawned all presented a woe-begone appearance. Clothing,
arms, and accoutrements alike gave evidence of a fatiguing
struggle with the pasty soil of the " Old Dominion," and an
inspecting officer would have torn his hair from sheer mortifica-
tion at the spectacle.

Some idea of the intense darkness which prevailed on this
march can be formed from the statement of the adjutant that
on reaching one stream, swollen by the rain to a roaring tor-
rent, he found the rear battalion of the regiment, under com-
mand of the lieutenant-colonel, apparently lost and hopeless
on the bank, without light or the means of procuring it, having
become separated from the van, which had gone on across the
raging flood under the leadership of the colonel. Probably
half an hour was consumed before, by the united efforts of
officers and men, a light was obtained sufficient to show how
the stream might be forded. During the night the rain turned
into snow, which probably made the almost fireless bivouac a
little more endurable, besides generously casting its mantle
over the bedraggled state of the command in the morning.

After an hour or two spent in repairing damages and prepar-
ing the much-needed coffee (the meat rations had been cooked
before leaving camp), ranks were formed and the brigade
continued its march about five miles farther, stopping at a
point about half a mile from Port Conway. It was then nearly
ten o'clock, and the pontoon train had not yet arrived. After
some delay it appeared and moved down to the river, almost

74 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

immediately opposite the village of Port Royal, where the men
who accompanied it, aided by a liberal detail of pioneers, began
stretching the canvas over the frames in preparation for a cross-
ing. For this latter mission the 150th had been selected by
Colonel Stone, and quietly awaited the summons to man the
boats, first moving down into the fields and taking position
behind a church. Captains Widdis and Jones with their com-
panies, under Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper, were to cross
above the town, and the rest of the regiment to effect a passage
below at the same time. Eight companies of sharp-shooters
from the 143d and 149th were to line the banks and cover the
crossing with an active fire, if necessary.

On the southern bank of the stream, for a considerable dis-
tance above and below Port Royal, rifle-pits had long been
constructed by the enemy, and here and there a "butternut"
could be seen behind the earthen breastwork, his form with
difficulty distinguishable on account of the color of his uni-
form. In the main street of the village, in front of an hotel, a
small group of rebel soldiers was gathered, calmly surveying
the movements of the Union forces with the aid of a field-glass.
They seemed quite unconcerned, and in all probability, seeing
no artillery to cover an intended crossing, quickly inferred that
the expedition was a feint. Back on the hills, however, behind
the village, a signal-flag was in vigorous motion, conveying
news of the movement to the " proper authorities."

The entire absence of field-batteries had not been noticed by
Stone's brigade during the harassing night march; but now
that the hour for attempting a passage of the river was appar-
ently at hand, and no guns were put in position to protect the
boats, the officers most nearly concerned began to " smell a
rat," and laughed heartily at their previous stupidity.

Suddenly, while the troops were lolling at ease in the pleasant
sunshine, awaiting further developments, the sound of bugles
was heard, followed by the clatter of hoofs and the rumbling

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 75

of heavy wheels, and a section of artillery was seen approach-
ing from the direction of the woods, at a rapid trot, and turning
into the field in rear of the pontoons with an air that seemed
to presage immediate business. At the head of the column
rode Quartermaster Voorhis, of the 150th, with drawn sabre,
accompanied by a bugler, while two or three mounted subor-
dinates of his department, impersonating non-commissioned
officers, followed in their proper places beside the guns. Each
piece was drawn by four horses with skilful drivers, and each
caisson carried its complement of gunners. With the wild
sweep of a tornado this unexpected Union re-enforcement came
into view of the rebel group at Port Royal, and traversing the
broad field with an ominous cracking of whips and piercing
bugle blasts, wheeled suddenly to the left, countermarched a
short distance, and went into position with the guns bearing
on the rebel village. The stentorian tones of the quarter-
master as he gave the command, " On the right into battery !"
could have been heard a mile away; and but for that tell-tale
field-glass at the old tavern, Port Royal might have trembled
for her safety. As it was, it scarcely needed a second glance
to detect the fact that the guns were wooden, skilfully wrapped
with ponchos to give them the proper color, and that the cais-
sons werQ feed-boxes carefully disguised by a covering of rubber
blankets. The beds of two wagons of the commissary depart-
ment had been removed, the running-gear uncoupled, and with
sections of a stout sapling of suitable length and thickness, it
was easy to do the rest. Nevertheless, the quartermaster re-
ceived the plaudits of the entire division, all admitting that he
had acquitted himself superbly and covered his "arm of the
service" with glory.

Owing to the lack of rope, thole-pins, and other necessary
articles, none of the boats were ready until dusk, when some of
them were carried to the river's edge and one or two launched.
Meanwhile immense numbers of camp-fires were kindled in all

76 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

directions, and every precaution was taken to indicate the
presence of a large body of troops.

Soon after nightfall the pontoons were broken up and re-
loaded, and the division began its return march. Proceeding a
mile or two, a halt was made, fires were built in the woods, and
the command bivouacked. About 4.30 a.m. the march was
resumed, and with sufficient halts at the breakfast and noon
hours for the men to rest and clean up, the regiment reached
camp about five p.m. in good condition, having come by a shorter
and better road, by which the swollen streams were avoided.

A day or two later a similar expedition was made by a
detail from another division, which, properly equipped in
the matter of boats and artillery, effected a crossing without
opposition, taking a few prisoners.

The object of these movements was evidently to keep the
enemy from withdrawing troops from his right, the plans for
the movement on Chancellorsville having already been laid.

That General Lee was deceived by these demonstrations is
obvious from the circumstance that General Jackson's lines
were immediately extended to Port Royal, and his troops were
not recalled until the thunder of the guns at Chancellorsville
made it plain that Hooker's aim was to turn Lee's left. The
deception was the more easily practised from the fact (as stated
by Lieutenant Louis R. Fortescue, of the Signal Corps) that
early in 1863 the rebels had possessed themselves of our sig-
nals, and this being known to General Hooker, he purposely
used them to mislead the enemy, who eagerly swallowed the
bait. Thus, messages announcing the landing of large bodies
of Union troops at a point below Aquia Creek were sped over the
flags and promptly interpreted by the enemy. Doubleday's ex-
pedition to Port Conway was a part of this scheme of deception.

From this time forward eight days' rations, cooked and un-
cooked, were required to be kept on hand, compelling the men
to store " hard-tack" in their knapsacks (already burdened with

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. y/

twoscore extra rounds of ammunition), it being a physical im-
possibility to squeeze a week's supply of provisions into an
ordinary haversack. This, more than anything else, foretold
with certainty the near approach of an important movement,
involving the whole army.

On the 26th of April the adjutant writes, "There is little
regimental news. Gimber (captain of Company F) has been
highly complimented in General Cutler's report as general
officer of the day for his management of the picket line. Gen-
eral Cutler's report was sent down, and I read it at dress parade
this morning, together with Colonel Stone's Order No. 12,
prescribing the manner of conducting a march. General
Doubleday has, I believe, made a report placing the failure of
our expedition (to Port Conway) on the pontoons. General
Benham, chief of the pontoons, has replied, vindicating his
pontoons. In this last report General Benham makes two or
three misstatements, maintaining, among other things, that his
pontoniers put up eight pontoons in thirty minutes. In the
first place, but six pontoons were put together. Secondly, this
was done mainly by our men, the pontoniers proving useless.
Third, this could be done only by fastening them with ropes
borrowed from the houses around."

On Monday, April 27, the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Fifth Corps
broke camp and began the march towards Chancellorsville. On
the following day the Sixth, Third, and First Corps were on
the banks of the Rappahannock, — the First at Pollock's Mills,
nearly four miles below Fredericksburg, with a pontoon bridge
successfully laid and one division (the First, — Wadsworth's)
firmly established on the south side; the Sixth a mile or two
higher up, with its pontoons also in position, and one division
safely across. On Wednesday, the 29th, the Third Corps left
for Chancellorsville, the Second moving to Banks's Ford the
same day. The First and Sixth rested quietly, awaiting the
result of the movement of the main portion of the army. On

78 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Friday heavy firing was heard in a westerly direction, an-
nouncing an engagement between Hooker's and Lee's forces.

On Saturday morning, May 2, the First Corps was under
arms at a fairly early hour, with orders to proceed to Chancel-
lorsville. For some reason the start was delayed a considerable
while, during which some of the enemy's batteries in the forti-
fications a mile or more beyond the river dropped several scores
of shells and solid shot among the troops, causing a general
stampede of the colored servants, but resulting in very few
casualties. The 150th escaped injury entirely, but Colonel
Wister had a narrow " call," a shell dropping within a foot of
his horse's nose, as he sat in the saddle waiting for the order
to move, and burying itself at the animal's feet without ex-
ploding. A day or two previous, when a similar shelling oc-
curred, several batteries of the corps were trained on the rebel
fortifications, and an animated duel was kept up for an hour or
more, with no noticeable result.

It was on this previous occasion that the 150th was first
under fire, and it underwent the ordeal most handsomely. The
regiment was resting on a hill-side, in column of divisions,
when, without warning, the long Whitworth projectiles began
to pass over it with their curious whirring sound, and some to
fall unpleasantly near. Another regiment in close proximity,
similarly greeted, was stampeded and scattered in most unmili-
tary confusion. Colonel Wister immediately formed his com-
mand, put it through some exercises of the manual and some
simple battalion movements, and only then marched it slowly
and deliberately to a place of shelter. The effect of this, their
first taste of fire, on the men was admirable, filling them with
confidence and pride in their own courage and discipline.

Speaking of the occasion when Colonel Wister had so narrow
an escape from the shell which struck among a group of officers
of which he was the centre, Adjutant Ashhurst says, " On Sat-
urday morning we got orders to move about eight, but just as

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 79

we started at the head of the column (the 149th, in advance,
was moving out of the hollow to go up the river), the rebs re-
opened with shell on us. We halted in the hollow for a few
minutes, where we were pretty safe. Only one shell came
directly among us, and that came into a group composed of
Colonel Wister, our major, Parsons, and myself, but went into
the ground without exploding. Had it burst, it would probably
have made a clean sweep of us."

About nine o'clock came the order to march, and the column
stepped out to the irregular music of bursting shells, which
continued to accompany it for at least a mile of the way.

80 OiXE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER XI.

CHANCELLORSVILLE.

The day was warm and the air so charged with humidity
that the sHghtest motion induced copious perspiration. It was
evident from the start that the march would be an exhausting
one for both officers and men. In quitting their comfortable
huts near Belle Plain the latter had crowded into their knap-
sacks articles of clothing in excess of the soldier's proper
allowance, besides many knickknacks to which they had be-
come attached; so that with a week's supply of hard-tack and
the extra forty rounds of ball cartridge superadded, some of
the knapsacks assumed the proportions of a pedler's .outfit.
For an hour or more they bore up bravely under this heavy
load, but when the column had passed Falmouth, at every halt,
however brief, the contents of their packs were hastily exam-
ined, and first one thing and then another discarded, until the
road was strewn with shirts, drawers, socks, pieces of blanket,
and an endless variety of " plunder." With every passing mo-
ment the air seemed to grow hotter, and further measures of
relief were studied and practised, until even cherished keep-
sakes were flung aside with a sigh, in order to accommodate
the burden to the capacity of the bearer. A few of the men
were caught in the act of removing the metallic eagle from the
shoulder-belt which sustained the cartridge-box, but a threat of
punishment put a stop to this unwarranted scheme. On moved
the column, with faces growing more and more florid and
streaming with increased perspiration, weaving in and out
among the wagons which encumbered the road in places, and

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 8 1

jaded by abrupt halts and starts when temporary blockades
occurred, until at last, when United States Ford was reached,
about six o'clock, many of the men seemed ready to drop from
sheer exhaustion. All the afternoon they had listened to the
sound of artillery, now weak and fitful, now loud and continu-
ous, away in the direction of Chancellorsville, and wished that
they might exchange the fatigues of the march for the excite-
ment of the battle-field, with all its possible dangers.

The crowded condition of the pontoon bridge, over which
batteries and regiments were streaming in one direction and
ambulances laden with wounded in another, necessitated a rest
of perhaps half an hour, which was gladly welcomed by the
tired men. Then, just as the sun was setting, the brigade
crossed the river, and, under orders from a staff-officer, turned
to the left, in the shadow of tall forest trees, and prepared to
bivouac for the night. It would have been happiness enough
for the command to throw off its cumbersome packs, undo its
" harness," and roll itself into its blankets, without thought of
food or drink, to find in sleep a panacea for the physical trials
of the day; but such good fortune was not in store for it.
Evidently something was wrong at the front, for the artillery
growled more furiously and ominously than ever, and its
echoes were multiplied and intensified as they rolled through
the thick woods to the banks of the Rappahannock. Again
the order was " Fall in !" and " Forward !" and in the fading
twilight the column headed through the forest and moved
rapidly towards the scene of the firing. Night soon closed in,
but the cannonading continued, and before long the crash, of
volleying small-arms could be distinctly heard. At a distance
of two or three miles from the ford the narrow road was
blocked by a long train of ambulances, conveying the wounded
to the rear; and as the brigade picked its way around the ob-
struction it was whispered that General Devens, afterwards
Attorney-General of the United States, was among those more

82 ONE HUNDRED AND EIETIETH

seriously disabled. Soon a battery or two, in a seeming state
of confusion, interrupted the march, necessitating a momentary
halt, during which the troops were instructed to load. From
this point forward the forest presented a weird and impressive
spectacle. Here and there dead pines were ablaze to the very
top, and in the light of these lofty torches each trunk and limb
of the solemn trees was distinctly outlined, while thousands of
startled whippoorwills made doleful music for the advancing
re-enforcements.

Of this night advance Adjutant Ashhurst says, "Fatigued,
and indeed utterly worn out as the regiment was with its hot
and prolonged march, yet when the order to load was given,
and the men realized that they were at last close to the foe and
might be engaged at any moment, all weariness seemed to
vanish, and they moved forward with a step as light and eager
as in the morning. This night march by the light of the burn-
ing pines, to the sound of the cannon, was wonderfully pictu-
resque and exciting, and was diversified by the meeting of every
kind of returning combatant and non-combatant from the field
of battle, who filled our ears with tales of the valor of the
Third and the misconduct of the Eleventh Corps. I remember
particularly a gallant Irishman of Sickles's corps, who greeted
us as we came by with, ' We were just winning the most glori-
ous victory in the world, boys, when those damned Dutchmen
ran. If you'd only been there instead ! But we'll be with you
in the morning !' "

About half a mile from the Chancellorsville pike a dark line
of blue, flat on the ground, stretched diagonally across the road
into the woods to an unknown distance on either side. To the
question, " What troops are those ?" came the reply, " Regu-
lars !" Unmistakably the Union arms had met with a reverse.
Nor were the new-comers long in learning of Jackson's flank
attack, which brought disaster to Howard's (Eleventh) corps,
on the extreme right of the army, and left the final issue of the

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 83

battle uncertain. In a few minutes more the brigade reached
the turnpike, where it was directed to the left, and nuirched
nearly to the Chancellor House. Shells were still flying, and
an occasional volley of musketry told that deadly work was still
going on. Mingled with the sound of the guns could be heard
the shrill rebel yell and the heavier refrain of Union cheers.

It was now near midnight, and by order of General Hooker
the troops of the First Corps countermarched and, moving
some distance to the right, threw themselves into the dense
woods, facing the supposed position of the enemy. The exact
location of the latter's left wing could only be conjectured, but
it was to be expected that before they could complete their line
the Union troops would be fired upon. Such was not the case,
however, and, after establishing a cordon of pickets about two
hundred yards in front, the First Corps slept undisturbed on
its arms.

The darkness of the night, intensified by the overhanging
trees and underbrush, made it desirable that the pickets should
have some mark by which they might distinguish one another,
and accordingly those of the 150th (who volunteered for this
dangerous duty) were instructed to roll up one sleeve of the
blouse, displaying the white of the shirt as far as the elbow.
In placing the line. Major Chamberlin, who was designated for
this purpose, gathered up a score or two of the stampeded
men of the Eleventh Corps, who were sleeping in the woods,
utterly lost, and after completing his ticklish task, piloted them
back to the pike, where they were turned over to the provost
guard. One German, who was evidently a company cook, with
a mass of kettles and pans in his keeping, was disposed to
make resistance when roused from his leafy couch, imagining,
no doubt, that he was being made a prisoner by the enemy ;
but on being assured in his own tongue that he was in the
hands of friends, he shouldered his huge collection of govern-
ment property and moved off with alacrity.

84 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

On the morning of the 3d an admirable line of breastworks
was constructed of fallen trees and of others which were
speedily felled for the purpose, along the entire front of the
corps, and this was quickly duplicated by the reserves at a
short distance in the rear; so that in a few hours the position
of Reynolds's command was practically impregnable. The
same kind of defences was prepared by the Fifth Corps, which
had been advanced before morning and joined the First on
the left, Stone's brigade touching elbows with Sykes's division.
The underbrush was also cleared away for a space of two hun-
dred yards in front of the lines, so as to obtain an early view
of the enemy, should he attack, and give greater effect to a
musketry fire.

Immediately after daybreak Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper,
who had been placed in charge of the pickets of Doubleday's
division, advanced the line half a mile or more, the pickets of
the divisions to the right and left sharing in the movement.
Here the fire of the enemy's sharp-shooters began to be felt,
but, alert and crafty, the Bucktail marksmen got the better of
their antagonists, and during the day Colonel Huidekoper sent
back a large number of prisoners, chiefly from Georgia and
North Carolina regiments. The Georgians had been freshly
uniformed, and in physical condition were far superior to their
" tar-heel" comrades, upon whom they seemed to look with
some contempt. The North Carolinians, ragged to a degree,
were neither " fat" nor " saucy," and in conversation expressed
themselves as being tired of the war.

Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper was probably the first to
report the serious wounding of " Stonewall" Jackson, having
learned the fact from prisoners taken on the picket line May 3.

An incident which occurred in the works of the 150th, about
noon of the 3d, created no little merriment at the expense of
one of its subalterns. The ground immediately behind the
portion of the defences occupied by his company (of which,

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 85

through the sickness of his captain, he was in command) rose
to such an extent that, thinking if he maintained his proper
distance he would, in case of an attack, be exposed to the
bullets of the enemy, and believing that " an ounce of preven-
tion is worth a pound of cure," this ingenious young officer
directed one of his pioneers to dig a hole of sufficient dimen-
sions to shelter his valuable person. When finished, it much
resembled a grave, and so contagious was the laughter which
it occasioned that Colonel Wister's attention was speedily
directed to the unsightly excavation. The rebuke which he
administered to the offending lieutenant was of a kind to send
cold chills down his back, and when the latter was ordered to
close the trench with his own hands, the cup of his abasement
was full.

During the day there was heavy firing, both artillery and
musketry, some distance to the left and front, in which the
First Corps had no part. On account of the dense woods
which intervened it was impossible to see what was going on,
nor could anything be learned of the progress of the battle,
except from the indications given by the swell and lull of the
fire of the contending forces. The roar of the cannon and the
crash of small-arms were at times so loud and continuous as
to raise keen apprehensions of another disaster to some por-
tion of the Union line. It was the Third Corps, assisted by
Williams's division of the Second, under the active and able
generalship of Sickles, meeting the repeated onsets of Jack-
son's troops, who the evening before had swept Howard's
command from the field. General Hooker had ordered a con-
traction of his lines, but the enemy attacked in the early morn-
ing, and a withdrawal could not be effected without a fight,
which lasted for hours, with varying fortune, and proved to be
the most sanguinary of the series of encounters in the Chan-
cellorsville campaign. While at its height, the forest took fire,
exposing the helpless wounded to a cruel death and enveloping

86 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

the entire battle-ground in dense volumes of smoke, through
which charge and countercharge continued until Sickles could
withdraw to the new line without danger of being overwhelmed
in the movement.

Some time during the day a rumor spread among the troops
that Hooker had been seriously hurt by a shell, at the Chan-
cellor House, intensifying the feeling of depression which pre-
vailed in some of the commands on account of the misfortune
of the previous evening. When, therefore, about four o'clock,
he rode along a considerable portion, of the line, looking the
very ideal of a soldier, and exhibiting no sign of the suffering
he was even then enduring, great was the rebound in the feel-
ings of the men, who greeted him everywhere with a tempest
of cheers.

The evening and night passed without any extraordinary
alarm, and the rest must have been most grateful to the troops
who had borne the brunt of the day's fighting.

On the morning of the 4th quiet still prevailed, except that
guns were heard in the direction of Banks's Ford, where
Sedgwick was known to be in position, but not frequent
enough to indicate a serious encounter. At Chancellorsville,
such was the disposition of the Union forces and such the
strength of their defences that an attack was ardently desired,
but the enemy seemed indisposed to deliver battle. During
the day there was no movement on either side, except trifling
reconnoissances to ascertain each other's whereabouts. In the
afternoon, between four and five o'clock. Stone's brigade was
sent out in a southerly direction, and by a narrow forest road,
in places overgrown by young pines, penetrated nearly to the
plank road and within a few rods of the enemy's lines. The
voices of the teamsters in conversation and the rattling of the
trace-chains of the horses could be distinctly heard.

The 150th led, with skirmishers in front and on either side,
and so dense was the growth of straight pine saplings that

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 87

the flankers could make their way only with the greatest diffi-
culty. A number of prisoners were gathered up during the
movement, but as Stone had been cautioned not to bring on an
engagement, not a shot was fired, save one which was the result
of an accident, and which, fortunately or unfortunately, pro-
duced no alarm. Having detected the presence of the enemy
in more or less force, the expedition returned to its breastworks
soon after nightfall, and, as these had been occupied by other
troops, messengers were sent back in advance to warn the
latter not to fire on the brigade when it approached the lines.
The precaution was a wise one, for many of the regiments were
in a state of nervous tension which brooked no alarms of any
kind; and, indeed, just as Stone's men were crossing their
breastworks, for some unaccountable reason, several regimental
commands farther to the right poured volley after volley into
the empty woods in front of them. Fearing that the recon-
noitring brigade had been fired on, General Reynolds sent one
of his staff-officers, Captain Riddle, to ascertain the cause and
result of the firing, and with him Major Chamberlin returned
to corps head-quarters, where he found General Reynolds and
General Doubleday for the moment occupying the same tent,
the latter sitting on a camp-stool, while the former reclined on
his blankets. Questioned as to the incidents of the reconnois-
sance, the major briefly recited the story of the movement,
closing with the remark that it would have been the easiest
thing in the world for Stone to have brought on an engagement.
" I wish to God he had !" was the curt and only comment from
the lips of General Reynolds.

On the following day, May 5, the opposing armies continued
their attitude of mutual observation and defiance at a compara-
tively safe remove, recalling forcibly the episode of the bellig-
erent school-boys who burned to knock the chip from each
other's shoulder, but " one was afeard and t'other dassent."

In the afternoon Quartermaster Voorhis sent up a train of

88 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

pack-mules from United States Ford with a fresh supply of
ammunition for the regiment, — which was not needed, — but,
fortunately, also with fresh store of provisions, which found
most grateful acceptance. About four o'clock a heavy rain-
fall set in, in the midst of which, a few hours later, the First
Corps began to withdraw from its defences and move back
towards the ford, preceded by other troops which had made an
earlier start. In the intense darkness, under a pelting storm,
on a rough and narrow road choked repeatedly by halting
columns, it was a most dismal march, stretching through weary
hours and disheartening alike to officers and men. At day-
break the river was reached, and the pontoons, half submerged
in its. swollen torrent, seemed in danger of being swept away
under the heavy burden of batteries and regiments which
moved in unbroken succession to the northern shore. In the
open space on the southern bank were massed brigade upon
brigade and division upon division, to the number of perhaps
thirty thousand troops, impatiently awaiting their turn to cross. .
It was a magnificent and impressive spectacle, but the mind of
the looker-on could not help thinking how a sudden onset of
the enemy, — if he chose to pursue, — or the dropping of some
scores of shells from well-directed guns, might create a panic
in this armed host and fairly choke the stream with drowning
men. To avert the possibility of disaster by surprise, the
pickets had been left at their posts and their officers instructed
to have the last cartridge expended, if necessary, to veil the
retreat of the army. It was expected that portions of the line
would be gobbled up when the enemy discovered the real sit-
uation ; and Captafn Jones, who commanded the pickets of the
150th, stated afterwards that it was whispered to him, when he
went on duty, that he must face the prospect of capture, to-
gether with his company, for the general good. Happily, on
the morning of the 6th the enemy was not in an enterprising
mood, and the Union troops went on their way undisturbed.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 89

By about eight o'clock the last of the regiments had pass ed
and the pontoons were ready to be taken up. Sufficient time
having elapsed to insure the safety of the army, Captain Jones
quietly withdrew his men, barely escaping capture, and by a
hurried march succeeded in reaching the ford before the last
bridge was completely dismantled. He rejoined the regiment
a few days later at White Oak Church. Others of the picket
force were made prisoners and sent south to endure untold
privations. Thus ended the Chancellorsville campaign.

It is not the purpose of this modest history to give the de-
tails of battles, except in so far as the 150th was concerned in
them, nor to criticise the plans of any commanding general or
his management of his army, since abler pens in more am-
bitious works have exhausted the incidents of each campaign,
and shown (to the entire satisfaction of the writers) how every
engagement of any consequence might have been so conducted
as to insure a decisive victory. Of Chancellorsville, however,
it may be permitted to say that, while it is generally conceded
that defeat resulted from Howard's over-confidence, Sedgwick's
tardiness, and the insignificant results of the cavalry expedi-
tions which were expected to achieve so much, greater celerity
of movement on the part of the several corps which formed
the van of the army, and a more earnest determination to
" push things," would doubtless have placed Hooker in a posi-
tion beyond the " Wilderness," where, as voiced in his con-
gratulatory order of the evening of April 30, " Our enemy
must either ingloriously fly or come out from behind his de-
fences and give us battle on our own ground, where certain
destruction awaits him." Nor can too much stress be laid
upon the injury received by the commanding general on the
morning of May 3, which practically incapacitated him for the
further conduct of the battle, and probably prevented him from
hurling the First and a part of the Fifth Corps — in numbers
upwards of twenty thousand fresh troops — on the depicted left

90 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

flank of the enemy, to roll it together like a scroll and avenge
the disaster of the previous day. Certainly the First Corps
was eager to go forward, and as a mass would have devoutly
echoed the sentiment of its stern commander when told how
readily Stone, with his little brigade, could have precipitated
an engagement on the afternoon of the 4th, " I wish to God he
had!"

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 9 1

CHAPTER XII.

IN CAMP AT WHITE OAK CHURCH.

Excessive fatigue, loss of sleep, the pouring rain, and, above
all, the knowledge that a great movement, auspiciously begun,
on which so many hopes were based, had proved unsuccessful,
conspired to depress the spirits of the rank and file and de-
velop for a time a certain degree of irritability. In mounting
the steep, wooded hill facing the ford, men of different regi-
ments became more or less intermingled, and their criticisms
of one another were not all of the politest ; while some of
their officers, who strove to preserve an appearance of order
in the ranks, failed to command the respect to which their po-
sition entitled them. It was not, however, an hour in which to
meditate harsh measures, and indeed, after the trying experi-
ences of the past few days, the men had claim to more than
usual forbearance. When the column reached the summit,
and could move more freely on the muddy but otherwise un-
obstructed roads, a better feeling began to prevail, and all
swung forward with alacrity, in the hope of soon being halted
and allowed to go into camp. But no such good fortune was
in store for them, — at least for Colonel Stone's brigade. Either
that officer had omitted to obtain orders as to the destination
of his command, or he must have misinterpreted them, for he
continued to lead it through the pelting rain over roads that
grew every moment more difficult, and once at least, by mis-
taking the way, necessitated perhaps a mile or two of useless
marching, when every needless step was a punishment.

At last, about noon, a halt of two or three hours was made,
and most of the men refreshed themselves wMth coffee, though

92 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

many did not go to the trouble of building fires to prepare it,
fearing that an order to move might come at any moment and
leave them with only " their labor for their pains."

The march was resumed near the middle of the afternoon,
and the experience of the next few hours was worse than that
of the morning. In many places brooks had overflowed their
banks and spread over wide spaces between the hills, and
through these muddy torrents the brigade was compelled to
pass, with water reaching to the cartridge-belt, chilling ex-
hausted limbs and causing suffering stomachs to yearn for
warming food and drink. It was a cruel stretch, lasting into
the night; and when, about eight or nine o'clock, the fires of a
cavalry post were seen at White Oak Church, each regiment
dissolved without command, to seek shelter wherever it could
be found. A few were accommodated in the little church, but
the larger number hunted up the deserted camps in the imme-
diate neighborhood, where they found protection from the rain,
and in blessed sleep forgot the day's accumulated unpleasant-
nesses. Colonel Wister and Adjutant Ashhurst were fortunate
enough to obtain quarters in a farm-house near by, where they
were comfortably entertained ; while the lieutenant-colonel and
major, from lack of enterprise or utter exhaustion, accepted
the first resting-place which offered, without considering the
question of previous occupancy.

On the following morning a melancholy beating of rain-
soaked drums called the scattered men together, their clothing
and equipments still sadly suggestive of a long struggle with
water and mire; and without obtaining orders where to go,
Colonel Stone led the brigade back to its old quarters near
Belle Plain. Here orders sought hiui, and on the morning of
the 9th, after a comfortable night's rest, he marched his com-
mand back to the neighborhood of White Oak Church, and
went into camp in a wood, about two miles from the Rappa-
hannock, not far from Pollock's Mills.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 93

Measures were promptly adopted to repair the wear and tear
of the Chancellorsville mov^ement, and in a few days the 150th,
which knew no idle moments, was again in an approved state
of discipline and efficiency. Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper,
who, by the courtesy of Colonel Wister, had much to do with
the instruction of the regiment in its manifold duties, granted
mild indulgences to the member of each company who kept
his clothing, arms, and accoutrements in the most satisfactory
condition, begetting in this manner ah agreeable rivalry which
was productive of the best results. In his brief " History of
the 150th," published in the Scout and Mail, Sergeant Ramsey,
of Company F, says, " While encamped at White Oak Church
an incident occurred which will serve to illustrate the impar-
tiality of Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper's judgment as an
inspecting officer, and his perfect recollection in after-years of
any circumstance connected with the regiment. The camp
and regiment were regularly inspected every Sunday morning,
and everything done to incite the zeal of the various companies
and individual men to excel in their appearance. In one of the
companies was a young man who was constantly commended
by the lieutenant-colonel for having his piece in the best order.
This produced criticism, and, finally, the allegation of favoritism,
and the boys determined to test the matter by having the gun
of the supposed favorite exchanged for that of another mem-
ber of the company who always had his gun in good order.
When the company in which these men were was reached, the

inspecting officer, Lieutenant-Colonel H , handled several

muskets before coming to the one in question, which was taken,
carefully examined, and returned with the remark, * Baker,
you have your piece as clean this morning as Reynolds's ever
was; now see if you cannot have it so every morning.' Nearly

twenty years after this occurrence (Colonel H not having

seen him in the mean time) Reynolds called at the colonel's
office and, giving his name, remarked, * I do not suppose you

94 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

remember me.' The immediate answer was, 'Oh, yes; the
boy who always had a clean musket.' "

If the regiment excelled in the neatness of its clothing, — as it
certainly did, — this was largely due to the watchfulness of Adju-
tant Ashhurst, who was not only painstaking in all the routine
duties of his office, but kept a vigilant eye on the appearance
and bearing of the men. To his prudent foresight the com-
mand was indebted for a perennial supply of white gloves,
which added greatly to the attractiveness of its dress parades,
already noticeable for the perfection of the men in the manual
of arms. On every occasion of this kind the number of spec-
tators from other camps equalled or exceeded the strength of
the regiment.

Picket duty was one of the most pleasing features of the
service at this point. The " turn" of each regiment lasted two
days, and as the weather was for the most part delightful, and a
tacit understanding existed between the two lines (separated
for some distance only by the width of the Rappahannock)
that there should be no firing, the men went as cheerfully to
this duty as to a picnic. In a letter to a member of his family,
written Sunday, May 17, Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper says,
" One-half of my picket line ran along the river,- on the oppo-
site bank of which rebels sat talking and chatting at ease.
They go in swimming by dozens and paddle half-way across.
They are talkative and on good terms with our men. As they
parted to-day, each promised to take care of the other if they
should be taken prisoners. It was the 19th Georgia, Some
of the questions asked were these :

" Rebel. — ' Where is Joe Hooker now ?'

" Anszuer. — ' Gone to Jackson's funeral.'

" Rebel. — ' Has Joe got the splinters out of his face ?'

" Answer. — ' Oh, yes ; they grew out.'

" Rebel. — ' I'll give you these plugs of tobacco for some
coffee, and swim across for it.'

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 95

" Anszver. — ' Oh, we have plenty of tobacco.'

" Yesterday the 2d Wisconsin exchanged newspapers with
the enemy. My head-quarters were in the yard of Assistant
Secretary of War (C. S. A.) Major Seddon's house, about a
quarter of a mile from the river. It is on a hill, and the view
is perfectly lovely. The valley is three or four miles wide, and
on either bank were thousands of cattle and mules, pasturing
in the heavy clover. Officers rode along either bank in safety.
At Mrs. Seddon's house was a signal station. The darkies
supplied me with milk by stealing it from the buckets. They
are good friends to the Union army."

On the 1 8th of May the regimental camp was moved from
the cool woods to a hill as bare as a billiard-ball, because the
medical director pronounced the other location unhealthy.
By erecting arbors in front of their tents, covered with twigs
cut from the grove, the men succeeded not only in obtaining
a grateful shelter from the warm sun, but in giving to the camp
a peculiarly picturesque appearance.

Here the fondness of men, whose home ties are sundered, for
pets of all kinds, cropped out to a marked extent. At the
colonel's quarters a black-and-tan bitch of good strain and
heavy with pups, which had followed the regiment from Chan-
cellorsville, was the object of much attention, and frequent
were the friendly disputes as to the partition of the expected
litter. In some of the company camps could be found a young
crow or two, a cat, a tame squirrel, dogs, and even a wretched buz-
zard, whose scanty and rumpled feathers were suggestive of the
repentant parrot after its famous encounter with the monkey.

Mention must not be omitted of the dog " Jim," of whom
the property right was vested in Sergeant " Jack" Kensil, of
Company F, but who was known to every man in the regiment,
and endeared himself to all by his pluck and constancy. He
shared the fortunes of the command until the close of the war,
running narrow chances of death or disablement on many

g6 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

fields; and though often separated from his immediate master,
and at times from the regiment, by the accid-ents of battle, in-
variably turned up in the right place to receive the congratula-
tions and caresses of his numerous friends. He was duly
mustered out in the spring of 1865, and provided with a written
discharge as formal in its wording as the valuable paper fur-
nished by the War Department.

On the 2ist of May, Adjutant Ashhurst writes, "We have
been ordered to be ready to move to-night. The idea is this.
A regiment crossed over from the other side to plunder, some
days since, and we sent some cavalry down to meet them.
To-day the rebels telegraphed by signals that a bridge was
broken, cutting off our cavalry, and by re-enforcements they
could capture it. Colonel Morrow's (Iron) brigade, First Divi-
sion, was sent this morning to repair the bridge and meet the
enemy. If needed, we are to go to-night."

On the 22d he adds, " We did not move last night, and are
remaining here very quiet. The bower we have in front of our
tent makes it pretty cool. It is still cool at nights. Very many
of our officers are sick. Widdis and Fisher, of A; Sears, of
F ; Gutelius, of D ; Tryon, of I ; Davis, of C ; Reisinger, of H ;
Pine and Carpenter, of E; and Chatburn, of B. Gutelius has
been very ill, but is getting better now. Tryon is quite ill. I
think Davis and Pine will either resign or go on the invalid
detachment. Reisinger has hurt his leg with a bayonet.
Chatburn is getting better. The others are light cases."

On the 25th of May, Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper, im-
pressed by the beauty of his surroundings and the harmony
which filled the air, wrote to one of his friends, " The bands
around us and across the river have been playing sweetly for a
few days. It is delightful as the sun goes down to sit in one's
tent and enjoy the music, which seems to float from camp to
camp. Camp life will have a thousand recollections which will
outlive all memory of the hardships."

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 97

Captain H. W. Crotzer, of Company D, was mustered out of
the service on the i8th of May, on surgeon's certificate of dis-
ability. His physical condition was none of the best before
quitting Belle Plain, and on the long march to United States
Ford, on the 2d of May, he broke down completely. Reach-
ing the ford with great difficulty, he received much-needed
medical attention, and as soon as his strength permitted,
turned in and did what he could to alleviate the sufferings of
the wounded in the field hospitals at that point. As his own
trouble was of a chronic nature, he deemed it best to retire
from the army.

Captain John B. Fay, of Company C, had been stricken with
malaria prior to the breaking of camp, and also took no part
in the Chancellorsville camj>aign. He was sent to one of the
hospitals, and, typhoid fever developing itself in his case, he
never resumed command of his company, but was honorably
discharged, on surgeon's certificate, on the 16th of the follow-
ing September.

Dr. Philip A. Quinan, who had been assigned as surgeon to
the regiment, reached camp and assumed his duties on the 28th
of May. He claimed to have had experience as an assistant
surgeon in the regular cavalry for several years, and seemed to
be well up in his profession; but a natural or studied cynicism,
coupled with excessive self-consciousness and a disposition to
belittle his superiors in the medical department, failed to com-
mend him to his fellow-officers or secure their friendship. His
advent was signalized by an almost immediate reduction of the
sick-list from seventy to twenty-nine, whether wisely or un-
wisely it would be difficult to say.

On May 27 the adjutant writes, " I was down at the picket line
to-day. The rebels on their side are as numerous and easy as
usual, bathing, fishing, etc. I saw one man walking his beat,
carrying his gun. He is the first I have seen doing that. They
nearly all lie down, while our men arc nearly all obliged to walk

98 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

their beats. If we move now we must leave behind us Jones,
Reisinger, and Pine. The two former, I believe, are suffering
from intermittent fever, the latter from exhaustion and nervous
debility. Also Lieutenants Tryon, Gutelius, and Davis. Tryon
is convalescent, Gutelius has had a relapse, Davis is used up."

On the 28th he continues, "We did not move yesterday or
to-day, and our movements are still most uncertain. The rebels
were said this morning to be withdrawing from our front, but
this afternoon they are out in large force, holding brigade drills
across the river in view of our line. We have the belief that they
have a scheme of crossing somewhere, and the excessive move-
ments they are making everywhere are intended to blind us to
something, — exactly what, we do not know.

" We rode out to the picket line this afternoon, and went up
to Mr. Strother's, where we get our butter, and had a nice talk
with his three daughters, rather fine girls. Mr. Strother is a
bitter secessionist, but his wife and daughters are very pleasant
and courteous, and make very good butter, at fifty cents a
pound. . . . They are much disgusted ' at our men having
milked their cows last night. Old Strother says, ' If your men
milk the cows there can be no butter for you,' and the truth of
his statement cannot be denied."

On the 29th of May, Assistant Surgeon M. A. Henderson
sent in his resignation, which was promptly accepted. Having
passed his prime, and ill health seriously limiting his usefulness
in the field, he could easily be spared by the regiment. It is sus-
pected, hovyever, that Surgeon Quinan assisted him in making
up his mind to leave.

In the latter part of May and beginning of June it was evident
that General Lee had begun a movement of importance, the
exact object of which it was General Hooker's aim, by the un-
sparing use of his cavalry, to discover and prepare to thwart. The
enemy veiled his intentions by equal activity on the part of his
mounted forces, and the uncertainty resulting from this state of

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 99

things kept the Union army, for a time, in a condition of unrest
that was far from enjoyable. Orders to be in readiness to move
were received every day or two, only to be countermanded
within a i^w hours, perhaps, after all the labor of packing and
breaking camp had been gone through. From their very fre-
quency the regiment soon came to regard these orders with
serenity, and in the first days of June abandoned itself, in un-
claimed hours, to the pleasant pastime of cricket,— a game very
dear to Philadelphians,— for which a complete outfit had been
ordered some time before.

On the 5th of June it was reported that the enemy had evac-
uated the heights, a heavy force of Union cavalry having passed
the river the previous day to reconnoitre. The Second Division
of the Sixth Corps crossed near Pollock's Mills on the afternoon
of the 5th. On the 6th, Stone's brigade w^as under arms more
or less from three a.m. until four p.m., when, a storm coming up,
tents were pitched again without orders. The 150th went on
picket on the following day, the adjutant remaining in camp to
receive orders. In a letter of that date he mentions the fact
that Captain Pine and Lieutenant Tryon had been sent to
Georgetown Hospital, and Captain Reisinger and Lieutenant
Gutelius to the hospital at Windmill Point.

On the loth he writes, " There is nothing new here. The
enemy shows considerable force opposite us. We changed the
position of our reserve and picket line on Monday, bringino-
some one hundred and fifty men forward from the woods into a
hollow not far from the river. This the enemy construed into
an attempt to cross, for they brought down a battery and a
brigade of infantry, which they drew up in line to oppose our
crossing. Finding us quiet, they withdrew them about eight a.m. '
yesterday, but kept their rifle-pits filled and heavy pickets out
all day. Our regiment flatters itself at having produced con-
siderable sensation among the rebels without intending it. Our
men came in from picket to-day."

lOO ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

On the 8th, while on the picket Hne, Elvidge recorded in his
diary, " Went on picket. Brought everything along with us.
The rebs are making a big show across the river, so I guess
they mean a move of some kind."

Three days later Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper writes,
" We have been under marching orders for eight days, during
which the men have had to live on coffee, crackers, and some
meat."

The Gettysburg campaign was about to begin.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 10 1

CHAPTER XIII.

TO GETTYSBURG.

On the 12th of June the First Corps broke camp and, taking
a circuitous route by way of Stoneman's Switch to avoid being
seen by the enemy, struck the Warrenton road near Elk (or
Hartwood) Church, and marched towards Bealeton. Colonel
Stone being absent on leave, Colonel Wister had command of
the brigade. At the church a deserter from the First Division
(Wadsworth's) was led out, shot, and buried within sight of the
road. The corps bivouacked that night in broad meadows
about twelve miles from the Orange and Alexandria Railroad,
having covered a distance of twenty miles.

The march was very trying on account of the intense heat,
the dust, and want of water, the column sometimes making
four or five miles without encountering even a mud-puddle
from which to allay its thirst. On the following morning, be-
fore day, the Third Corps took the lead, and the First, falling
in behind it, moved rapidly towards Bealeton, passing detach-
ments of the Fifth Corps (which at that time was guarding the
fords on the Rappahannock) and reaching its destination late
in the afternoon. The 150th acted as rear-guard of the corps,
bringing up the stragglers, — a task which gave it plenty to do,
but enabled it to set its own pace and come in with less fatigue
than on the previous day. The distance was about fourteen
miles.

Bealeton Station is about four miles from the Rappahan-
nock, and consisted then of a couple of deserted houses.
Around it is a fine farming country, which for a year or two

I02 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

had been untouched by the plough and was absolutely de-
nuded of fences. The frame houses had been loop-holed and
strengthened with thick planks by the railroad guards, render-
ing them admirable for defence.

On the 14th the First Corps started for Manassas Junction,
and made one of the most tortuous and torturing marches on
record. The heat of the sun was withering. Not a breath of
air stirred the leaves ; the dust rose like a white cloud, powder-
ing the hair and clothes of the troops and almost stifling them ;
and, to add to the general discomfort, not a drop of water was
to be had at times for a distance of five miles. This can be
easily understood when it is stated that no rain had fallen since
the 5th of May. No man was allowed to fall out of ranks,
under any pretext, without a pass from his company com-
mander, approved by the regimental surgeon. Those who did
were driven in again by the field-officer at the rear of each
regiment, or " gobbled up" by the rear-guard and urged forward
forcibly. This was a necessary precaution, as the whole coun-
try was open to the guerillas, who would have taken large
numbers of prisoners if the men had not been kept in ranks so
strictly. In this march of twenty-seven miles they began to
get very footsore, and it was distressing to see them hobbling
along, begrimed with dust and perspiration, their tongues
almost lolling out from excessive thirst. Stagnant pools, on
whose borders lay decomposing horses or mules, and which
living animals would not touch, were gladly resorted to by the
men in passing ; but as they were compelled to run in order to
overtake their commands, after drinking, they paid dearly for
even this sorry luxury.

Manassas Junction was at last reached about two o'clock in
the morning, and the weary troops were instructed to lie down
until seven. Punctually at seven the column started for Cen-
treville, the sun as scorching- as ever, but water, fortunately,
more plentiful. At Bull Run a brief halt was made for rest,

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 03

which many of the officers and men improved by bathing in the
stream. There was no longer any stench in the neighborhood,
and the grass and grain, by their luxuriant growth, concealed
the traces of the sanguinary conflicts of the preceding years.

At eleven a.m. Centreville was reached, and the Bucktail
Brigade encamped near two beautiful springs, which, after the
trials of the three' days march, were more precious than gold.
After a few hours' rest the men of the 150th were instructed to
prepare for dress parade, and at six o'clock appeared on the
field in all the glory of polished shoes, glittering arms, and
well-ordered uniforms, to exhibit their skill in the manual to a
larger gathering of spectators than they had ever before known.
Captain Widdis held command.

Probably no other regiment in the Left Grand Division
(First, Third, and Eleventh Corps, commanded by General
Reynolds) held dress parade that evening.

On the morning of the 17th the troops were again in motion,
heading towards Edwards Ferry, on the Potomac; but the
course was changed en route, and the column proceeded to
Herndon Station, on the Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad.
Here Major Chamberlin was detailed to post the pickets of
the First Corps and take charge of the line for the night, with
instructions to keep a sharp lookout for Mosby and his men,
who were reported to be in the vicinity. A single alarm oc-
curred about midnight, caused probably by the movement of
some wild animal through the bushes, which flatly declined to
halt and give the countersign.

On the 1 8th the First Corps moved up four miles, to Broad
Run, and encamped in the open fields. The sound of artillery
was heard during the day in two directions, indicating cavalry
encounters in the passes of the mountains.

In a letter of about this date Lieutenant-Colonel Huide-
koper says, " We are near the Potomac . . . waiting for some
definite movement of Lee's army. The raids into McConnells-

104 O^^ HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

ville, Gettysburg, and Chambersburg have been extremely
pleasing to us, as we think it will aid the draft and arouse the
people once more. . . . The men have found a flock of sheep,
which are fast disappearing. We do not see them, as we are
writing or reading."

About the same time officers of his staff reported General
Reynolds (whom they were in the habit of terming " the old
man") to be very much preoccupied and in anything but an
amiable mood. Doubtless the uncertainty of the military sit-
uation worried him, or, foreseeing Lee's intentions more clearly
than other commanders, he chafed under an inaction which he
feared might have ruinous consequences.

The writer, who had the good fortune to enjoy the notice
and, to some extent, the friendship of General Reynolds from
the time he took command of the First Brigade of the Penn-
sylvania Reserve, cannot refrain from expressing his admira-
tion of that distinguished officer and testifying to his many
good qualities. To those who knew little of him he may at
times have appeared stern and unnecessarily exacting; but
those who in the course of their duty were frequently brought
near him, and knew him more intimately, soon found that be-
neath a cold and somewhat haughty exterior was hidden a
personality of wonderful attraction, and that he was not with-
out those traits which inspire friendship and invite confidence.
His whole life had been that of a soldier, and, being unwedded,
his ruling passion seemed to be devotion to his country and
his calling. From the very outset he appeared to grasp the
magnitude of our civil struggle, and the prospect of years of
conflict and endless flow of blood and treasure doubtless helped
to leave on his countenance an impress of seriousness which
was often mistaken for unbending severity. Recognizing to the
fullest extent his own responsibility as a commander, he looked
for an equal measure of earnestness on the part of both superiors
and subordinates ; and while he was chary of commendation

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. IO5

for duty well performed, believing that the government had a
right to the best efforts of all its servants, he never criticised or
condemned without ample cause.

An instance of his natural kindness was observed by the
writer near Belle Plain, in April, 1863, when, in returning from
a review of Wadsworth's division, and galloping with some
scores of officers in a breezy ride across the country, the gen-
eral had the misfortune to crowd a private soldier off a bank
into a sunken road eight feet below. The man was thrown
headlong, but not hurt in the slightest, for Virginia mud is
very soft; but the general, instantly turning his horse's head,
leaped into the road and, expressing his profound regret at the
occurrence, inquired most feelingly of the soldier whether he
was injured. On being assured that no damage was done, the
general drew out his pocket-book, and handing the man a five-
dollar bill, begged him to believe that the matter was purely
accidental. Then, touching his cap in soldierly fashion, he
hastened to rejoin the cavalcade.

Although the serious lines of his face rarely unbent in a
smile, the general was not without a keen appreciation of humor.
One day, on this very march towards Gettysburg, when the
150th was moving left in front at the head of the column, and
the men were so much exhausted that some of them were fall-
ing to the rear, Private Rodearmel (better known as " Rody"),
of Company B, called out to his captain, —

" Captain Jones, we're left in front, aren't we ?"

■' Yes, Rody ; why?"

" Because if we don't soon get a rest, I'm thinking most of
us will be left bc/iind."

General Reynolds, who, with his staff, was immediately in
advance of Captain Jones's company, heard the witty sally, and
almost immediately ordered a halt; whereupon " Rody," figura-
tively patting himself on the back, remarked, " Well, boys, the
general and I have given you a rest, anyhow."

I06 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

On the 2 1st the adjutant writes, " We are under orders to be
ready to march at any moment. There is heavy firing towards
Aldie, where Meade is. Sickles is about six miles from him,
and we are about five miles farther back. We seem to be
pounding away heavily, and I suppose our corps will be sent
for, if needed. We think now that most of the enemy's force
is in the Shenandoah Valley. . . . All the regiment is in fine
order here, — much better than in that pestilential place, Fal-
mouth and its vicinity. Beckwith is sick and is to go to the
Georgetown Hospital."

On the 22d he continues, " We have just received news that
the firing we heard yesterday was a very successful attack of
our cavalry under Pleasonton, supported by Barnes's division of
Meade's corps, on the rebel cavalry under Stuart. We learn
that they drove them from Upperville to Snicker's Gap, taking
many prisoners, two cannon, and three caissons. . . . We were
inspected this afternoon and made a fine appearance. Did you
see in the Trihtnc, some two or three weeks since, a letter from
Sheppard, the correspondent for our army, in which the 150th
is mentioned with special honor for beautiful appearance, in
dress parade particularly ?"

On the 25th of June, refreshed by a week's idling, the First
Corps broke camp and marched to Barnesville, crossing the
Potomac on pontoons about noon, and passing through Pooles-
ville on the way. A heavy rain set in towards evening and
the troops had a bad night of it, — all the more dismal from
their inability to cook supper, and the incessant braying of
some hundreds of mules belonging to the wagon trains which
were parked close by.

Next morning the march was resumed in clearing weather,
and of necessity foregoing the temptation to indulge in ripe
cherries, which abounded on every hand, the column passed
over Sugar Loaf Mountain and bivouacked near Jeffersonville,
having made a distance of fifteen miles. Soon after leaving

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 107

Barnesville, the 150th overtook a straggler from a New York
regiment, who, forgetful of the strict order which had been
issued in regard to keeping in ranks, was plodding leisurely
along, diligently munching cherries plucked from a tree by the
way-side. "Why are you not with your regiment?" asked
Colonel Wister. The youth made an impudent reply, when
the colonel's sword flashed in the air, and in a moment would
have descended on the head of the offender, if he had not fallen
on his knees and begged for mercy. The colonel administered
a sharp reproof, and at his bidding the straggler started on the
double-quick to overtake his command.

At six A.M. on the 27th the troops passed through Jefferson-
ville, and, notwithstanding the early hour, witnessed a cheering
demonstration of loyalty. The entire population — old and
young — was gathered in the main street, waving miniature
flags, and the ladies were profuse in their bows and smiles.
Regiment after regiment, as they came up, rent the air with
hurrahs in acknowledgment of this friendly disposition.
Reaching Middletown after an easy march of seven miles, the
corps rested in the fields for the remainder of the day, and
many a poor farmer in the neighborhood witnessed with dis-
may the rapid disappearance of his fences.

At this period the regiment was very short of line-officers.
Captains Fay, Reisinger, Bell, and Pine, and Lieutenants Fisher
and Beckwith were sick, and either absent or unfit for duty,
while Captain Widdis and Lieutenant Keyser were seriously
indisposed, leaving but twelve present in the line. Lieutenant
Keyes resigned on the 17th of June.

On Sunday, June 28, the column moved at four in the
morning, and, crossing the Catoctin Range, reached Frederick
at eight p.m. Here the news was spread that General Hooker
had retired from the command of the army, and that General
Meade had succeeded him in the position. The change created
no especial enthusiasm in the 150th, which retained its confi-

I08 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

dence in its old commander, and was averse to " swapping
horses in the middle of a stream." Beyond the reasonable
pride which every Pennsylvanian felt in having a Pennsylvanian
at the head of the Army of the Potomac, it is doubtful whether
the announcement afforded any satisfaction to the Bucktail
Brigade, which, in its unchanging devotion, was ready to do
its best under any commander.

At five o'clock on the following morning the First Corps
left Frederick, and marching through Lewistown, Mechanics-
town, Franklinville, and Emmittsburg, encamped on high
ground beyond the last-named place about seven o'clock in
the evening. Twenty-six miles were accomplished that day,
and although the road was heavy in places, on account of the
almost continuous rains of a week, such was the buoyant feel-
ing in the ranks at the thought of approaching the border of a
" free" State, that the troops gave less evidence of fatigue than
on any of the previous marches. It was a veritable " triumphal
progress." In passing through the towns and villages, whose
streets were lined with welcoming people, the colors were un-
furled, the bands and drum-corps struck up, and quickly taking
the step, with muskets at a shoulder, the regiments treated the
delighted citizens to an exhibition scarcely less stately and im-
pressive than a grand review. At Mechanicstown several young
ladies appeared in dresses made of the national colors, waving
diminutive flags, and were enthusiastically cheered. Coffee, tea,
and milk were tendered to the men as they passed, and fresh
bread, cakes, and pies easily found the way into their capacious
haversacks. All that blessed day the hills and woods resounded
with patriotic lays which were taken up by regiment after regi-
ment, until the whole army seemed to have been metamorphosed
into a vast singing society.

Soon after the corps came to a halt for the night, some
practical joker quietly spread the report that the Mother
Superior of the convent in the outskirts of the town had in-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. IO9

vited all the commissioned officers to a reception, with suitable
refreshments, to be held in the main building of the institution
that evening. Most of those who heard the story instantly
recognized its absurdity ; but not a few were foolish enough to
go back to the town and prowl around the convent, which of
course they found shrouded in darkness.

On the 30th the First Corps advanced three or four miles to
Marsh Creek, and was put in position to receive an attack, if
any part of Lee's army should be in the neighborhood. The
150th occupied a wood on the left of the Emmittsburg road,
the foliage sheltering it from the rain which fell intermittently
during the day. The night, contrary to expectation, passed
quietly, and the troops enjoyed an undisturbed rest, little
dreaming of the draft that would be made on their courage
and endurance on the morrow.

no ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER XIV.

GETTYSBURG — FIRST DAY.

On the morning of July i the officers of the regiment cast
about rather anxiously for the wherewithal to " piece out" a
breakfast, having lost touch, for two or three days with the
wagons of the commissary department. Captain Sigler and a
lieutenant or two formally asked permission to send out to buy
a sheep, but as there was a prospect of an early movement, this
could not be accorded, and they had to be satisfied with the
regulation coffee and hard-tack. The field and staff fared no
better.

The First Division (Wadsworth's) was started towards Get-
tysburg at or before eight o'clock, and the Third (Rowley's, —
General Doubleday being in command of the corps) was put on
foot about nine, but for some reason — probably the withdrawal
of., the pickets and the bringing up of the Second Division
(Robinson's) — did not move until half or three-quarters of an
hour later. It then marched rapidly over the Emmittsburg road,
incited to unusual effort by the frequent boom of field-pieces at
a distance of some miles in front. The morning was bright,
after an early drizzle, but intensely sultry, the air being charged
with moisture, and the men quickly felt the weight of their
campaigning outfit, and perspired as they had rarely perspired
before. On either hand long stretches of golden grain and
luxuriant growths of corn looked beautiful in the sunlight, and
it was hard to believe that this armed host was approaching
the scene of a battle. Soon, however, citizens were met driving
cattle and horses before them in search of a safe retreat ; and

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Ill

when, a little later, two children — a boy and a girl — rode past
on one horse, crying as if their little hearts would break, it was
painfully apparent that the miseries of war had penetrated to
this hitherto quiet pastoral region.

A mile or two below Gettysburg, on the Emmittsburg pike,
a staff-officer met the head of the column with instructions to
hasten the march, and diverted it from the road into the fields,
where the division took the double-quick and maintained it
until it reached the ground a little to the south and west of the
theological seminary. The exertion proved too great for many
of the men, and quite a number of the 150th were compelled
to fall out of the ranks. Captain Dougal, of Company D, the
largest and most corpulent officer in the regiment, found him-
self unequal to the telling pace, and, having asked permission
to drop behind, was instructed to gather up the stragglers and
bring them to the front, — an order which he executed most
satisfactorily.

When the troops were halted near the seminary, Generals
Doubleday and Rowley, who with portions of their staffs sat
upon their horses at that point, addressed a few words of encour-
agement to the several regiments, reminding them that they
were upon their own soil, that the eye of the commonwealth
was upon them, and that there was every reason to believe they
would do their duty to the uttermost in defence of their State.
Meanwhile, shells were flying overhead from rebel batteries be-
yond the ridge to the west, and there was no longer any doubt
that there would be trying work that day. The untimely death
of General Reynolds had already been whispered to many of the
officers, and soon became known in the ranks, occasioning a feel-
ing of profound sorrow; for, whatever views individuals may
have had of his temperament and bearing, all recognized in him
one of the ablest and most skilful commanders in the Army of
the Potomac, and lamented his unfortunate taking-off Had he
lived to guide and encourage his troops, though this first day's

112 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

fight against vast odds might not have been entirely successful,
it would certainly have been more brilliant in achievement.

On receiving instructions where to post his regiment. Colonel
Wister ordered knapsacks to be unslung and piled on the
ground, and then gave the command, " Forward !" forgetting
that the muskets were not loaded. Instantly a score of voices
reminded him of the omission, and amid some merriment the
loading was ordered. Then, with colors unfurled and full bat-
talion front, the 150th moved rapidly westward to the brow of
the hill overlooking the little valley of Willoughby Run, and
occupied a part of the space between the wood on the left, in
which the Iron Brigade lay, and the McPherson farm-buildings.
The 149th and 143d Pennsylvania took position on the right,
extending to the Chambersburg road. It was then about
eleven o'clock, — possibly a little later. Of the 150th, the
whole number present for duty, including seventeen field-, staff-
and line-officers, together with the morning's stragglers, whom
Captain Dougal brought up in good order, was — as nearly as
could be ascertained — three hundred and ninety-seven.

A number of dead and wounded lay scattered over the field
some distance in the rear of the line, giving evidence of sharp
work by Wadsworth's division before Rowley's arrival ; but
beyond a fitful cannonading from rebel guns on the next paral-
lel ridge westward, there was at this hour comparative quiet.

Colonel Stone having ordered one company from each regi-
ment of the brigade to be thrown forward as skirmishers.
Company B of the 150th was detailed for this duty, and Captain
Jones was instructed by Colonel Wister to " advance until he
met the enemy, and engage him." Deploying his men after
passing the brow of the hill, the captain speedily dislodged the
rebel skirmishers from a fence some distance below, and posted
his command advantageously on the line of Willoughby Run.

During the lull which prevailed on the field, there was ample
opportunity to observe the numbers and disposition of the

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 113

enemy to the west, consisting of Heth's and Pender's divisions
of A. P. Hill's corps, some of whose brigades were still arriving
and moving in plain view into position south of the Chambers'^
burg road. While the Union line was but a skeleton, with
noticeable gaps between the several brigades as well as between
the regiments, the enemy was formed in continuous double
lines of battle, extending southward as far as the accidents of
the ground permitted the eye to reach, with heavy supporting
columns in the rear. It was a beautiful spectacle, but their
preponderance in force was so obvious that the Union troops
might have predicted the certainty of their own defeat, if they
had not counted on the timely arrival of re-enforcements.

An incident which occurred about mid-day did much to create
good feeling and stimulate the courage of the regiment. While
watching and waiting, the attention of some of the men was
called to an individual of rather bony frame and more than
average stature who approached from the direction of the town,
moving with a dehberate step, carrying in his right hand a rifle
at a " trail." At any time his figure would have been notice-
able, but it was doubly so, at that moment, both on account of
his age, which evidently neared threescore and ten, and the
peculiarity of his dress. The latter consisted of dark trousers
and waistcoat, a blue " swallow-tail" coat with brass buttons,
and a high black silk hat, from which most of the original
sheen had long departed, of a shape to be found only in the
fashion-plates of a remote past. Presumably on account of
the heat, no neck-wear of any kind relieved the bluish tint of
his clean-shaven face and chin. As his course brought him
opposite the rear of the left battalion, he first met Major Cham-
berlin and asked, " Can I fight with your regiment?" The
major answered affirmatively, but seeing Colonel Wister ap-
proaching, added, " Here is our colonel ; speak to him."

" Well, old man, what do you want ?" demanded Colonel
Wister.

I 14 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

" I want a chance to fight with your regiment."

" You do ? Can you shoot ?"

" Oh, yes ;" and a smile crept over the old man's face which
seemed to say, " If you knew that you had before you a soldier
of the war of 18 12, who fought with Scott at Lundy's Lane,
you would not ask such a question."

" I see you have a gun, but where is your ammunition ?"

For answer, he slapped his disengaged hand on his trousers
pockets, which were bulging out with cartridges.

" Certainly you can fight with us," said the colonel, " and I
wish there were many more like you."

He then advised him to go into the woods on the left, to the
line of the Iron Brigade, where he would be more sheltered
from sun and bullets, with an equal chance of doing good exe-
cution. With apparent reluctance, as if he preferred the open
field, he moved towards the woods, and history has written the
name of John Burns — for it was he — in the roll of the nation's
heroes, and his deeds of that day are inseparably linked with
the glories of Gettysburg!

Colonel Stone, observing the approach of a rebel force from
the north, promptly changed the position of a portion of the
brigade to meet an attack from that direction. Leaving the
left wing of the 149th to occupy McPherson's lane, facing west,
the right wing was faced to the north on the Chambersburg
road, the regiment thus forming a right angle, while the 143d
continued the line eastwardly on the same road. A little later,
a rebel battery which had established itself on Oak Hill opened
fire, enfilading the line of the left battalion of the 149th and
also the 150th; whereupon the former was thrown forward,
uniting with the right wing on the Chambersburg road and
facing north, while the 150th was ordered by Colonel Wister,
who saw no immediate threat of an attack from the west, to
move to the shelter of the McPherson barn. Just as the move-
ment began a shell exploded in the midst of Company C, kill-

PENNSYLIANIA VOLUNTEERS. II5

ing two men and dangerously, if not fatally, wounding several
others. At that very moment Dennis Buckley, a private of
Company H, 6th Michigan Cavalry, who had lost his mount
in the earlier encounters of the day, presented himself, carbine
in hand, and received permission from the major to join the
ranks of the regiment. Seeing the misfortune which had be-
fallen Lieutenant Perkins's command, he said, " That is the
company for me," and, hurrying forward, overtook it and per-
formed manly service throughout the afternoon.

While the regiment enjoyed the protection afforded by the
barn. Captain Jones was hotly skirmishing on the banks of
the run, and several of his men soon came back in a disabled
condition, among them Sergeant Kolb and Corporal Buchanan.
This was too much for Lieutenant Chancellor, of the same
company, who had that morning been assigned to the com-
mand of Company G, none of whose officers were present for
duty. He at once begged to be allowed to join the skirmishers,
and pleaded with such warmth that his request was finally
granted. At the instant of starting forward one of his men
fell dead, pierced by a bullet from beyond the road. Finding
the skirmish line sufficiently manned, Lieutenant Chancellor
remained for a time in reserve and then returned to his proper
place.

In its position on the Chambersburg turnpike the 149th was
exposed to a destructive fire from a rebel battery to the west,
and with a view to draw the fire away from the men, its colors
were detached and planted on the eastern edge of a wheat-
field a little beyond the left flank of the regiment and some-
what to the front, where the color-bearers and guards sheltered
themselves behind a pile of rails.

Colonel Stone, in his official report, mentions half-past one p.m.
as the hour of Early's attack on the Union line north of the pike,
and says of the formation of the enemy, " It appeared to be a
nearly continuous double line of deployed battalions, with other

Il6 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

battalions en masse as reserv^es. Their line being formed not
parallel, but obliquely to ours, their left became first engaged
with the troops on the northern prolongation of Seminary
Ridge. The battalions engaged soon took, a position parallel
to those opposed to them, thus causing a break in their lines,
and exposing the flank of those engaged to the fire of my two
regiments on the Chambersburg road. Though at the longest
range of our pieces, we poured a most destructive fire upon
their flanks, and with the fire upon their front scattered them
over the field. A heavy force was then formed parallel to the
Chambersburg pike and pressed forward to the attack of my
position. Anticipating this, I had sent Colonel Dwight, with
the 149th, forward to occupy a deep railroad cut about one
hundred yards from the pike."

Captain Bassler, of Company C, 149th Pennsylvania, says of
Dwight's movement, "The order now came for our regiment
to advance to the railroad cut, but Colonel Dwight, unfortu-
nately, took lis across the cut into a very unfavorable position.
On the right of the regiment, where the colonel was, the cut
was comparatively shallow, but in the rear of the left and
centre it was deep, and the banks, which were of aluminous
shale, were steep and difficult to climb.

" We were presently attacked by a strong line of the enemy
(Daniels's North Carolina brigade of Rodes's division), and
after firing a few rounds, the colonel, now fully realizing the
danger of our position, gave the command, ' Retreat !' Com-
panies A and F got through the cut easily enough, but the
farther to. the left the deeper the cut. Some lost their hold
when near the top and slid back again ; some were shot while
climbing up ; some ran to the right to get out, and numbers on
the left never got out, except as prisoners, for the enemy was
upon them before they could clear the cut.

" The consequence of all this was that the regiment got back
to the pike in a very scattering order."

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. II7

Colonel Wister, observing the movement of the 149th and
the approach of Daniels's brigade, ordered the 150th to change
front forward, to bring it into line with the other two regiments
on the pike. This was effected quickly and with precision, and
the regiment by an active fire assisted in checking the enemy's
advance at the railroad cut. About this hour (between half-past
one and two p.m.) Colonel Stone, who had ably directed the
operations of his brigade, exposing himself fearlessly at all
times, went forward a short distance to reconnoitre, when he
received severe wounds in the hip and arm, which entirely dis-
abled him. Colonel Wister succeeded him in the command,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper assumed charge of the
regiment.

A converging fire from rebel batteries west, north-west, and
north now made the position of the 150th most uncomfortable.
The projectiles from the enfilading guns to the west, near the
Chambersburg road, were at times plainly visible in the air, but
most of them struck the ground and ricocheted without ex-
ploding. A marvellous escape from serious injury was that of
Sergeant-Major Lyon, whose chest was grazed by a shell which
tore away his clothing, discoloring the skin and causing intense
pain, but without lacerating the flesh in the slightest. Others
were severely wounded, whose names are not recalled. The
fire of these batteries was much more accurate when some
Union pieces went into service at the edge of the wood, near
the right of the Iron Brigade, and ventured a response. Im-
mediately the concentrated play of the enemy's guns necessi-
tated a " shift," and after several changes of position in quick
succession, the ground was abandoned as untenable.

Daniels's brigade of North Carolinians, though twice driven
from the immediate vicinity of the railroad cut, was persistent
in returning to that line, and his sharp-shooters, from the con-
venient shelter of the excavation, kept up a rapid and effective
fire. The colors of the 149th. which still remained planted in

Il8 ONE HUNDRED AND EIFTIETH

the wheat-field in front of the right of the 150th, proved an
irresistible attraction to the enterprising enemy. Suddenly a
battalion, which had crossed the railroad bed beyond the deep
cut without being discovered, appeared among the wheat with
the evident intention of capturing the colors or striking the line
of the brigade in flank and doubling it up. In an instant Colonel
Wister ordered a charge of the 150th, and, drawing his sword,
crossed the fence, calling upon the regiment to follow. Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Huidekoper repeated the command, and swiftly
wheeled the three right companies — A, F, and D — to the left
until they were within pistol-shot of the rebel line, which, after
delivering a destructive fire, gave way and fled in confusion.
Two or three volleys were poured into the retreating foe, after
which Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper drew back the right
companies to their former position. In this brief but suc-
cessful encounter the companies named lost heavily, especially
Company F, which numbered Private Northrup killed ; Privates
Charles F. Gibson, John Boyer, and George W. Young mor-
tally wounded ; and Sergeant John C. Kensil and Privates John
K. Himes, F. M. James, John S. Weber, and George W. Bates
all more or less seriously wounded. The severest loss sus-
tained by the regiment in this charge was in the death of Lieu-
tenant Charles P. Keyser, of Company B, temporarily serving
with Company F. He was a young officer of great promise,
who by his manly bearing and general efficiency had attracted
the favorable notice of the field and staff, and by his many ad-
mirable qualities had endeared himself to the entire command.
Among others who were severely wounded on this occasion
was Captain Dougal, of Company D, an officer held in the
highest esteem by his superiors, and whose services could not
easily be dispensed with. Adjutant Ashhurst relates that after
conveying the order to charge to Lieutenant-Colonel Huide-
koper, he himself joined in the movement, between D and F
Companies, immediately alongside of Dougal, who was wounded

PENNS Yf. VA NIA VOL UN TEEKS. I 1 9

as he was turning around to draw his pistol, being near enough
to the rebel line to use it with effect.

A number of men of the 149th participated in the charge,
and in returning to the line their color-guard brought back the
colors of that regiment in safety.

The centre and left wing of the 150th, being well down the
slope of the hill towards Willoughby Run, did not hear the
order to charge, and were at the time busily engaged in break-
ing up a force which had gathered in the corner of a field be-
yond the railroad bed, and, partially concealed by a fringe of
bushes along the fence line, was obviously meditating a cross-
ing, thus seriously menacing the left flank of the brigade. This
body of men was completely scattered. As the enemy con-
tinued in force beyond the railroad cut, north of the McPherson
buildings, and his skirmishers maintained an annoying fire from
that stronghold, Colonel Wister's next care was to order a
charge of the 149th, which was led by Colonel Dwight, and
resulted in driving Daniels's men well back from that line.
After superintending this movement, and while returning to his
position near the barn, Colonel Wister was shot through the
mouth and face, and, although not actually disabled, found him-
self incapacitated from giving further commands by the exces-
sive flow of blood, and reluctantly yielded the active direction
of the brigade to Colonel Dana, of the 143d.

Between half-past two and three o'clock the rebel batteries
began to increase the rapidity of their fire. A glance to the
west showed the troops of Heth's and Pender's divisions in
motion, descending rapidly towards Willoughby Run, regiment
upon regiment en echelon, followed by supporting columns ex-
tending southward from the Chambersburg road as far as the
eye could reach. A change of front on the part of the 150th,
to meet this new and apparently overwhelming danger, be-
came at once imperative. With no undue excitement, and in
thoroughly good order, the regiment wheeled back to its origi-

120 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

nal position, facing the west, leaving, however, a large gap
between the left flank and the woods, which it was impossible
to fill. The movement occupied but a minute or two, but,
under a searching fire from the old assailants north of the road,
it was attended with some loss. Among those who were sin-
gled out by the enemy's bullets was Major Chamberlin, who fell,
dangerously wounded, some distance in front of the new line,
and was brought back by volunteers from several companies,
at great risk to their own lives and limbs. One of those who
assisted in this trying office was disabled by a ball before the
line was reached. The major was carried to the McPherson
House.

The 149th and 143d continued to face north. For some
reason the strong force approaching from the west moderated
its movement, as if awaiting developments on other portions of
the field, and by the time it came within musket reach the
150th was well established in its new position. By the advance
of Heth's troops Captain Jones was forced back from the skir-
mish line and borne considerably to the left, into the woods,
where his company fought for a time as an independent com-
mand, but eventually joined the ranks of the Iron Brigade.
Suddenly — as if elsewhere something decisive, for which they
had been waiting, had occurred — a large portion of Heth's
command marched obliquely to the right and was soon hidden
from view by the woods.

The withdrawal of this force from its front gave the 150th a
moment to breathe and listen to the sounds of conflict farther
southward, where Biddle's brigade had been posted in the fields,
slightly to the left and many rods to the rear of the prolonga-
tion of the line of the Iron Brigade. The attack on Biddle
necessitated a readjustment of the line on his right, and Mere-
dith withdrew from his advanced position in the woods to one
much less advantageous about two hundred yards farther back.
By this change, of which the 150th was not immediately cogni-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 121

zant, the gap between its left flank and the Iron Brigade was
greatly widened and its exposure correspondingly increased.

The lull in the fighting in the neighborhood of the McPher-
son buildings was very brief. The rebel batteries soon reopened
and played with an accelerated fire for some minutes, when
Brockenbrough's brigade from the west, and Davis's and
Daniels's brigades from the north-west and north, pushed in
towards the barn and renewed the contest.

The afternoon had worn on to about a quarter of three
o'clock. The enemy drew closer and closer, firing and loading
as he advanced, but was met by a resistance which time and
again staggered him, though it could not shake him off.
Greatly superior in numbers, he kept urging the attack, only
to find the defence as stubborn as his own advance. If for a
moment the line of the 150th bent backward a few steps, it
promptly moved forward again at the word of command,
forcing the enemy to recoil in turn. At last, by sheer weight,
the thinned ranks of the regiment were pushed some rods to
the rear, but without panic. To encourage his command,
Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper instructed the color-bearer —
Sergeant Phifer, of Company I, a man of large stature and
boundless courage — to move forward with the colors. This
he did without hesitation, in the face of a galling fire, and the
line moved automatically with him. A storm of lead con-
stantly sought the flag, and the color-guard especially bore
witness to the accuracy of the rebel aim. Corporal Roe Reis-
inger, of Company H, was disabled by three balls; Corporal
Joseph J. Gutelius, of D, received a death-wound; and Cor-
porals Samuel Barnes and Rodney Conner, of A and C respec-
tively, were seriously injured. Sergeant Phifer fell, bleeding
from a mortal shot, while proudly flaunting the colors in the
face of the foe. This is undoubtedly the incident which drew
from General A. P. Hill, who was approaching on the Cham-
bersburg road, the expression of regret at the death of so brave

122 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

a man, as detailed by an English officer in an article published
soon after in Blackivood's Magazine. From the conformation
of the ground and the situation of the McPherson buildings,
no other Union color-bearer could well have been visible to
General Hill at the time.

A moment after the fall of Sergeant Phifer, Lieutenant-
Colonel Huidekoper, who had previously been struck in the
leg by a ball which cut to the bone, felt his right arm shattered
by another missile, and was forced to visit the barn to obtain
aid in bandaging his wounds. A little later Adjutant Ash-
hurst was shot through the shoulder, and simultaneously a
spent ball struck him on the shin, but failed to penetrate the
heavy riding-boot which he wore at the time. The concus-
sion, however, produced the liveliest pain, and lamed him for
some days. Almost at the same moment a third ball broke
the scabbard of his sword, showing the hotness of the rebel
fire. He bravely kept the field in spite of these injuries, and
rendered important service in the subsequent retreat.

Lieutenant Chancellor, of Company B, was shot through
the thigh a few moments after the adjutant was wounded, sus-
taining a painful fracture, from the effects of which he died
on the 7th of August. He had hardly passed the limits of
boyhood, but in intelligence, courtesy, courage, and all the
traits which constitute a useful and efficient officer, he had few
superiors.

In the same fierce encounter Captain Sigler, of Company I,
was slightly wounded in the leg, but continued at his post;
Lieutenant Perkins, commanding Company C, received a ball
in the thigh ; and Lieutenant Sears, of Company F, was seri-
ously injured in the leg, but clung to the front with a spirit
which deserves commendation.

Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper, as soon as his broken arm
could be hurriedly cared for, returned to the line, which con-
tinued to be maintained in the face of discouraging odds; but

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 23

pain and faintness from shock and loss of blood presently
compelled him to retire.

Nearly one-half of the original force of the regiment had
now been killed or wounded, and scarcely an officer was left
unharmed. The enemy was pressing in on all sides, even from
the woods on the left, and the little brigade, .already beginning
to feel the effects of a cross-fire, was in imminent danger of
capture. At last, between half-past three and four o'clock.
Lieutenant Dalgliesh, of the brigade staff, brought the order to
withdraw; but as the regiment was fighting in two directions,
with its line broken by the McPherson farm buildings, and the
enemy at close quarters, it was impossible to execute the move-
ment as one body, or with anything like regularity. Captain
Widdis, as ranking line-officer, — to whom Lieutenant-Colonel
Huidekoper had intrusted the command when forced by his
wounds to leave the front, — should have conducted the retreat ;
but in the face of the difficulties already outlined no military
genius, perhaps, could have availed to bring the divided wings
together and maintain a solid formation in retiring. Probably
because his services were needed in that quarter. Captain
Widdis seems to have been in the neighborhood of the barn
when the retreat was ordered, and to have fallen back with a
portion of those engaged at that point.

Adjutant Ashhurst, to whom the men naturally looked for
leadership in the absence of field- and the scarcity of line-
officers, quickly grasped the situation, and, ignoring his painful
wound, succeeded in holding together remnants of several com-
panies, which fell back through the open ground towards the
seminary, fighting as they went. Captain Sigler, also wounded,
but less severely, assisted in the movement, and was ably
seconded by Sergeant George Bell, of Company H, who had
just been commissioned as second lieutenant, but had not yet
been mustered. He well justified his promotion by his con-
duct that day. At the very outset of the retreat. Private Isaac

124 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

R. Martindell, of Company A, had his left arm shattered by a
Minie-ball, necessitating amputation.

Companies A, F, and D were mostly engaged in the vicinity
of the barn, struggling in conjunction with the 149th against
the increasing pressure from the north-west and north. Colonel
Wister, although prevented by the lacerated and swollen con-
dition of his mouth and face from again taking active command,
had remained on the field, doing what he could by his presence
and example to animate the men ; and, recognizing the diffi-
culty of withdrawing this portion of the line, he undertook the
dangerous task in person. In his effort to bring away not only
the fighting men, but the numerous stragglers from different
regiments who had on one pretext or another sought shelter
in the barn, he delayed his own departure a moment too long,
and found himself temporarily a prisoner. A considerable
number of the 150th and 149th, much intermingled in the final
struggle, retired under the guidance of Lieutenant-Colonel
Dwight in a direction nearly parallel to the Chambersburg
road. Others were headed off near the barn or house by the
rapid closing in of the rebel lines on both sides, and captured.
Captain Jones and his company, as already stated, had joined
forces with the Iron Brigade, whose line ran north and south
near the spot where Reynolds fell. Sergeant McGinley, of
Company E, with a handful of men, retreating in that direc-
tion, threw in his lot with the same command.

The united groups of the 149th and 150th took advantage
of every favorable spot to make a defensive stand, and gave
and received severe punishment. At one point where a halt
was made to support some guns which had not yet been re-
tired, a number of 150th men were killed or wounded, among
the former First Sergeant Weidensaul, of Company D, whose
commission as second lieutenant had arrived only the previous
day. Adjutant Ashhurst, seeing him bend over and press his
hands to his body, as if in pain, called to him, " Are you

FENNS \ L VA NIA VOL L 'NTEERS. I 2 5

wounded?" " No," he replied, " killed !" and, half turning, fell
dead. He was a brave soldier, in whom the military instinct
had been strong from his early youth.

Concerning the withdrawal from the McPherson place, Ad-
jutant Ashhurst says, "-When Lieutenant Dalgliesh brought us
the order to retreat, I do not remember seeing any officer
higher in rank than myself on the line. I suppose Captain
Sigler must have been there, as I saw him later near the semi-
nary. He was probably at the extreme left and I at the right
of the regiment. I gave the order to fall back. Bell, just pro-
moted as lieutenant in Company H, protested to me against
the retreat, saying, 'Adjutant, it is all damned cowardice; we
have beaten them and will keep on beating them back !' At
this time we could see the Iron Brigade on our left falling back
by echelon of alternate battalions. I remember with me, at
this moment, Lieutenant Sears, of F ; Bell, of H ; and Weiden-
saul, of D. When we reached the seminary we found a battery
to its right in an orchard or grove. As we came up the officers
of the battery ran out to us and begged us to make a stand
and save the guns. I hardly thought it possible, but Colonel
Dwight, who was with me, joined me in an appeal to the 149th
and 150th for one last effort, and they gallantly responded.
We kept the enemy at bay until, after a few more volleys, the
guns were limbered up and moved off We did not leave our
position until the officers of the battery told Dwight and my-
self it was safe, and they would not ask us to remain longer.
I remember with me at this time Captain Sigler, Lieutenant
Sears, and Lieutenant Bell."

The battery referred to by Adjutant Ashhurst was one of
several which Colonel Wainwright, chief of artillery of the
First Corps, had put in position near the seminary, when it
became evident that the advanced line was being sorely pressed
and must soon fall back. Here the retiring regiments — most
of them in a more or less disorganized state — made a final

126 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Stand behind hastily improvised breastworks of rails. This line,
which was the last to be seriously defended, was attacked by
the converging forces of the enemy about four o'clock. For
some time their advance was disputed with success, and the
artillery especially, at short range, did good execution. But
both flanks of the defence were " in the air," and against the
overwhelming odds a long-continued resistance would have
been suicidal, exposing the thinned battalions to destruction or
capture. Besides, the two divisions of the Eleventh Corps
which had battled ineffectually against Ewell's heavier columns
north of the town, were already in retreat, rendering Double-
day's situation still more precarious. The latter accordingly
ordered a withdrawal to Cemetery Hill. Already the artillery
had lingered too long, and in getting away was exposed to the
fire of the enemy's sharp-shooters. The remnants of the 149th
and 1 50th came in very opportunely on the northerly side of the
field, which still remained comparatively open, to assist a New
York battery out of its trouble. Of the infantry, the southern
portion of the line, moving by the lower branch of the Hagers-
town road, which forks near the seminary, was comparatively
undisturbed and reached the town in fair order ; but the portions
of regiments constituting the northerly end of the line naturally
sought escape in the direction of the Chambersburg pike and
the railroad embankment, where their chances of success were
diminished by the swift approach of swarms of rebel skirmishers,
supported by well-ordered lines of infantry. Under such con-
ditions it was impossible to maintain a proper formation or
make a serious show of resistance. The larger portion reached
the town in safety, but a few officers and a considerable number
of men of Stone's and other brigades were cut off before reach-
ing the shelter of the houses, and made prisoners. Captain
Gimber, of Company F, unwisely undertook to cross the garden
of the seminary, but before he could clear the second fence,
was brought to a stand-still by menacing bayonets. Even

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 127

those who found themselves in the closely built streets of the
town were not beyond danger, as some of these were already
occupied by Ewell's troops, who had followed up the retreat of
the Eleventh Corps with great celerity, and kept firing at the
fugitives wherever seen. Captain Widdis and Lieutenants Car-
penter and Chatburn were taken in or near the town. Many
hair-breadth escapes were made by leaping fences, traversing
gardens, or passing through shops and dwellings, in order to
reach streets to which the pursuit had not yet penetrated.

Of this final stage of the retreat Adjutant Ashhurst says, " By
the long pause near the seminary so much time had been lost
that the enemy was pouring in on both sides of us, and it was
impossible longer to keep much order, particularly as we found
ourselves mingled with a crowd of fugitives from another direc-
tion. Many of the men, to get out of the fire of some batteries
playing from the north upon us, went too far over, to gain the
shelter of the railway embankment, and were thus captured.
When I reached the houses the enemy was so close upon us
that I found it my only chance of escape to climb over fences
and cross private grounds, so as to get into another street.
Here I found the Second Division retreating up the street, and
was fortunate enough to get into an ambulance which was the
last representative of our troops coming from that direction.
From the back of the ambulance we could see the rebel skir-
mishers coming down the street towards us, firing upon us as
they came. One wounded man was killed in the ambulance
while I was in it. There was an officer bringing up the retreat,
and the ambulance driver kept just behind him, so as to screen
him from fire by interposing the white cover of the vehicle.
The ambulance drove up within the line on Cemetery Ridge,
where I found Colonel Dana in command of the remnants of
our force, reported to him, and by his direction went to an im-
provised field hospital, where my wound was dressed, after
which I obtained his permission to go to the rear."

128 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Captain Jones, who by following the more southerly route,
where the Hagerstown road forks, had been able to keep his
company in column, relates that in hurrying through the town
he received a peremptory order to halt from a rebel field-officer
riding at the head of a regiment which was rapidly approach-
ing on an intersecting street, when Private Terence O'Connor,
of his company, by a well-aimed shot, brought the officer to
the ground, O'Connor coolly remarking, " We take no orders
from the likes of you !"

In this too long deferred movement from the seminary to
Cemetery Hill, which for a part of the line necessarily partook
more of the nature of a scramble for safety than a retreat, one
of the standards of the 150th was lost. This was naturally a
source of deep regret to the regiment, which, however, could
not reproach itself with any neglect of its colors or lack of
courage in their defence, having maintained its position for
hours in the face of superior numbers, losing nearly one-half
of its original force in killed or wounded. Moreover, scarcely
a commissioned officer was left unhurt, and at the time of the
final retreat from the vicinity of the seminary many of the
streets of the town were already invaded by the enemy, making
the escape of any considerable portion of the command ex-
tremely problematical.

For many years the belief prevailed in the regiment that at the
time of its capture the flag was in the hands of Corporal Gute-
lius, of Company D, who had been severely wounded, but per-
sisted in retaining the colors, and was shot dead while resting
for a moment on a door-step in the town. The story was told
with such circumstantiality by one of his comrades (who claimed
to have witnessed the occurrence), and remained so long un-
contradicted, that it was generally accepted as. true.

In letters written at St. Joseph, Missouri, dated August 11
and 30, 1889, Corporal Rodney Conner, of Company C, who
was one of the color-guard, states that when Sergeant Phifer

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 129

was killed, Corporal Samuel Gilmore, of Company C, first took
the colors, but that he himself, although suffering from a
Minie-ball in his side, relieved him of them, and carried them
through the rest of the fight. In the letter of August 1 1 he
says, "As we were going through the town, and just when I
was opposite the stone-yard (Flaharty's, at the north-east corner
of Washington and High Streets), a column of rebels came
charging down a cross-street and cut off about a hundred men
with me. A rebel captain seized the colors from my hand, and
the next minute he went down. Another officer went to him,
and he gave him the colors and told him to present them to
President Davis, with his compliments."

In the letter of August 30, after repeating substantially the
foregoing statement, he adds, " I have always felt so humiliated
at having the colors taken- from me that I have tried to forget
it." He expresses his willingness to make oath to the truth of
what he writes, and, although some inaccuracies and confusion
of incident in his narrative make corroborative evidence desira-
ble, it is only fair to presume that he would not lay claim to the
doubtful distinction of having lost the flag, if his version of the
affair were not correct.

This stand of colors was duly transmitted by Governor
Vance, of North Carolina, to the President of the Confederacy,
accompanied by a letter in which the governor stated that it
had been " captured from a Pennsylvania regiment, which Lieu-
tenant [the name is no longer recalled] had put to flight

with a handful of sharp-shooters !" It was found with Jefferson
Davis's baggage, when he was made a prisoner in 1865, and
was held by the Secretary of War until October 25, 1869, when
it was forwarded to the Adjutant-General of Pennsylvania, and
is now preserved, with other similar relics of the war, in the
capitol at Harrisburg.

By five o'clock the troops of the First Corps were in position
on Cemetery Hill, to the left and a little to the rear of Stein-

130 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

wehr's division. Of the 150th, eighty-six were present, includ-
ing Captain Jones and Lieutenant Kilgore, the only remaining
commissioned officers. The 149th was reduced in about the
same proportion, having fought side by side with the 150th on
the same unequal terms.

In the many published accounts of the battle, scanty justice
has been accorded to General Doubleday for the part he took
in the engagement of the first day. Coming upon the field
without knowledge of what had already taken place, upon him,
by the death of the lamented Reynolds, suddenly devolved the
assignment and direction of the troops; and but for his prompt
and able dispositions, and the magnificent stand made by every
portion of his line, retarding the enemy's advance until the
afternoon was nearly spent. Cemetery Ridge might not have
been the scene of the Union defence'on the following days, and
Gettysburg might not have witnessed .the victory which proved
to be the turning-point of the war.

Before nightfall of the ist the Twelfth Corps had arrived and
taken position, and the Third was reported near at hand, so that
the sorely tried forces who had borne the burden of the day
were able to repose on their arms with some sense of security.

Captain Horatio Bell.

, Company G.

(Killed at Wilderness, May 6, 1864.)

First Lieutenant Hknky Chancellor.

Company B.

(Mortally wounded at Gettysburg, July i, 1863,'

Second Lieutenant Chas. P. Keyseu

Company A.

(Killed at Gettysburg, July i, 1S63.)

Second Lieutenant Elias B. Weidensai'l.

Company D.

(Killed at Gettysburg, July i, 1863.)

PENNSYLVANIA VOLljNTEERS. 13I

CHAPTER XV.

GETTYSBURG, TO A FINISH,

On the morning of the 2d, which opened with a drizzling
rain, several missing men came in, and George A. Dixon, of
Company A, and three or four others having arrived from
Camp Convalescent the evening before, the aggregate for duty
was increased to one hundred and nine. After the fighting
began the regiment was posted, with the rest of the brigade, in
support of some batteries on Cemetery Hill, and some of the
men assisted in passing the ammunition, as the artillery was
short-handed. About six p.m. the brigade was double-quicked
to the left, down the Taneytown road, halting at the right of
the Third Corps, where the situation was at the time alarming.
Humphreys's division had been forced back from its advanced
position at and beyond the Emmittsburg road, and the rebels
were making a bold push to gain possession of Cemetery Ridge
at this point and on the left of Hancock's (Second) corps. The
brigade formed line of battle in rear of Humphreys, and bayo-
nets were fixed for a charge ; but the enemy was repulsed by
the front line, and the order to charge was withheld. A little
later the 149th and 150th were ordered to advance to the Em-
mittsburg road and develop the enemy's position. Deploying
as skirmishers, with the 149th in support, the 150th moved
forward, and presently secured two guns which had been taken
by the enemy during the afternoon. General Doubleday, in
his official report, after mentioning the recovery of four guns
of a regular battery by a portion of the 13th Vermont, adds^
" Shortly afterwards I sent out the 149th and 150th Regiments
Pennsylvania Volunteers, who sent in two additional guns

132 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

taken from the enemy, after a short and spirited engagement
close to his line of battle."

The regiment continued its advance in the growing darkness
until the right impinged on the Emmittsburg road, a little to
the left of the Codori House, when it was fired upon, and after
exchanging a ^\&\v rounds, fell back by order. Under fresh in-
structions, the two regiments remained on the field as pickets,
again advancing until the right of the line rested on the Em-
mittsburg road. At dawn of the 3d the 150th was subjected
to a sharp fire of shells from two guns posted in an orchard to
the left front, which was continued at intervals until the pickets
were relieved. In returning to the lines, between seven and
eight o'clock, the regiment moved left in front, and Company A
suffered severely from the artillery fire, losing Privates Thomas
P. Boyce and Joseph F. Durborrow, killed, and Alfred Lees,
mortally wounded. On reaching the position assigned the
regiment in line, Sergeant Evans, of Company F, and several
others were wounded by an exploding shell.

The cannonade which preceded Pickett's charge, in the after-
noon, is remembered by all who were exposed to it as some-
thing fearful and altogether unexampled. While it was in
progress the 150th was joined on the right by a detachment
of Berdan's sharp-shooters, and when the assaulting column
struck the Union line, these and the right companies of the
regiment found themselves sufficiently unmasked by the troops
in front to open an effective fire and assist in the final repulse.

It is not the aim of this history to try to give a full account
of this battle, or of any of the prominent actions of the Army
of the Potomac, as that has been done exhaustively by men of
military training who were associated with that army, and
whose own deeds are an important part of the record. The
scope of this work is more modest, restricting itself to a
simple, straightforward narrative of the part taken by the
150th in the several campaigns in which it shared.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 33

With the decisive repulse of Pickett's ill-fated column, which
had endeavored to pierce the left centre of the Union line on
the afternoon of the 3d, the battle of Gettysburg was over.
Whether it should have ended here is a matter which ever
since has been the subject of much controversy. The writer,
who, with other wounded Union officers, was within the
enemy's lines, at the seminary, on that eventful day, and im-
proved each opportunity to converse with members of Lee's
and Ewell's staffs, can testify to the confident — almost exultant
— tone of the latter up to the moment of the general advance
which marked the beginning of Pickett's hopeless undertaking.
Not one of these officers, when courteously interrogated on
the subject, hesitated to fix the number of Lee's forces at
ninety thousand or upwards, or to declare that at a given hour
they would simply " walk over" Meade's army. The time for
this boasted performance was unaccountably delayed ; and
when in the' twilight the rebel lines fell back to Seminary
Ridge, their movement was characterized by such an appear-
ance of alarm, and such obvious confusion, that the Union
wounded in and near the seminary were in no doubt as to the
result of the fight, and looked with confidence for a counter-
movement on the part of Meade. For half an hour bedlam
reigned in the neighborhood. Fences were torn down, out-
buildings demolished, board-walks knocked to pieces, and
everything seized upon that could contribute to the formation
of breastworks behind which to resist an expected advance of
the Union army. If a strong column of such troops as were
least engaged on Cemetery Hill had been pushed forward vig-
orously to the attack at that moment, there is reason" to believe
that resistance would have been short-lived, and the rebel lines
would have melted away in hasty effort to reach and cross
the Potomac. General Meade, however, best knew the condi-
tion and capabilities of his own forces, and his signal success
in resisting the determined assaults of a hitherto victorious

134 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

enemy, equally strong, if not superior, in men and guns,
should perhaps free him from criticism — certainly from cen-
sure— if in his best judgment he decided to "let well enough
alone." Still, there are many who, recalling what other great
generals accomplished under similar conditions, will not cease
to regret that no immediate effort was made to deliver a crush-
ing return blow.

On the night of the 3d the retreat of the rebels began,
Ewell's division vacating the town and taking position with the
rest of Lee's forces behind Seminary Ridge, while the ambu-
lance and supply trains were hurried off by the Chambersburg
turnpike and Hagerstown road towards Waynesborough. On
the morning of the 4th the bands of the Union army, which had
been silent for some days, broke the stillness of the battle-
field, and the sweet strains of the " Star-Spangled Banner,"
" Hail Columbia," and other national airs, penetrating to the
enemy's lines, must have been as depressing to them as they
were inspiriting to the federal ranks. On that day Adjutant
Ashhurst, who had been hospitably received and cared for at
the farm-house of a Mr. Bushman, succeeded in visiting the
front, where he found Captain Jones in command of the little
remnant of the regiment, and, to his surprise, met also Captain
Pine, who had arrived only that morning, having started from
the hospital at the first news of the battle. The adjutant made
strenuous efforts on the 2d and 3d to reach the command, but
without avail, pain and excessive weakness from loss of blood
defeating his intentions.

On the same day Frank Elvidge, of Company A, made the
entry in his pocket diary, " On the road to Richmond, a prisoner.
Marched about six miles. Raining very hard. All the wagon
trains are making for the rear, and I think are on the skedaddle.
. . . Poor Fourth of July !"

During the night of the 4th, Lee's army withdrew from
Seminary Ridge, and at dawn of the 5th the last vestige of

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 35

the gray-coated host had disappeared, except a few stragglers
who voluntarily surrendered. As early as the morning of the
4th scattering members of the 150th, mostly wounded, who
had either remained hidden in the town or had imposed upon
the enemy by artifices which had caused them to be classed
among the dangerously hurt, began to report to the regiment,
and were sent to hospital or treated by the regimental surgeon,
according to their needs. Captain Sigler, of Company I, by
binding a bloody handkerchief around his slightly injured
limb and assuming an air of great exhaustion, managed to
escape a journey to Richmond, and rejoined his company in
serviceable condition. Captains Widdis and Gimber, and Lieu-
tenants Carpenter and Chatburn, who were cut off in the retreat
of the first day, formed a part of the column of prisoners which
started for the rebel capital on the 4th.

When Captain Jones's company went into action as skir-
mishers on the morning of July i, the men had exhausted their
drinking water, and many of them were suffering from thirst.
Calling Private Rodearmel to him, the captain ordered him to
take a number of canteens and fill them at a rivulet a few rods
in the rear. " Rody" started on his errand, but failed to return
during the day; nor was he seen until the morning of the 4th,
when he presented himself before the captain on Cemetery
Ridge with a large collection of freshly filled canteens, and
with inimitable assurance .said, " Captain, here's the water! I
knew you wanted good water, so I thought I'd go back to
Germantown for it ; but the provost guard stopped me at Balti-
more." True enough, he had started for home, but was arrested
on the way and returned to the army under guard.

While a few well-authenticated instances of shirking came
to light after the battle, the conduct of the mass of the rank
and file of the regiment in this long-continued and most ex-
hausting engagement was beyond reproach. Even though re-
duced to scarcely more than one-fourth of its usual strength

136 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

by its frightful exposure o.n the first day, and almost entirely
deprived of officers, the little battalion responded to each call
for its services, on the second and third, with the same courage
and alacrity which had distinguished it at the opening of the
fight.

In his official report to army head-quarters, referring to the
important position held by the Bucktail Brigade, General
Doubleday says, " I relied greatly on Stone's brigade to hold
the post assigned them, as I soon saw I would be obliged to
change front with a portion of my line to face the north-west,
and his brigade held the pivot of the movement. My confi-
dence in this noble body of men was not misplaced, as will be
shown hereafter. They repulsed the repeated attacks of vastly
superior numbers at close quarters, and maintained their posi-
tion until the final retreat of the whole line. Stone himself
was shot down, battling to the last. The gallant Colonel Wister,
who succeeded him, was also wounded, and the command de-
volved upon Colonel Dana, of the 143d Pennsylvania Volun-
teers. This brigade, in common with almost every regiment
in the Third Division, were Pennsylvanians, and were actuated
by a heroic desire to avenge the invasion of their native State."

Further on he states, " The rebels now advanced from the
north-west to flank the two regiments in the road (149th and
143d), but the 150th Regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel
Huidekoper, changed front forward and met the enemy pre-
cisely as Dwight had met them, with two volleys of musketry
and a gallant-bayonet charge, led by Colonel Wister in person.
This dispersed them. Another desperate onslaught came from
the north, passed the railroad cut and almost reached the road,
only, however, to encounter another defeat from the irresistible
bayonets of our men. The next attack came from the west,
but was again repulsed by the indomitable 150th Regiment."

Colonel Stone, in his official report, pays the highest tribute
to the troops of his command, saying, " No language can do

PENNS YL VAN/A VOL UNTEEKS.

justice to the conduct of my ofificers and men on the bloody
first day, — to the coohiess with which they watched and waited,
under a fierce storm of shot and shell, the enemy's overwhelm-
ing masses ; to their ready obetiience to orders, and prompt
and perfect execution, under fire, of all the tactics of the battle-
field; to the fierceness of their repeated attacks and to the
desperate tenacity of their resistance. They fought as though
each man felt that upon his own arm hung the fate of the day
and the nation. Nearly two-thirds of my command fell on
the field. Every field-officer, save one, was wounded. Not one
of them left the field until completely disabled. Colonel
Wister, while commanding the brigade, though badly wounded
in the mouth and unable to speak, remained in the front of the
battle, as did also Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper, commanding
the 150th, with his right arm shattered and a wound in the leg,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Dwight, commanding the 149th, with
a dangerous gunshot wound through the thigh."

General Rowley, commanding the Third Division, calls to the
notice of the commanding general — among others — Adjutant
Ashhurst, Colonel Wister, Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper, and
Major Chamberlin, of the 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers, "as
being distinguished for bravery."

If Colonel Wister, in like manner, had named all of the offi-
cers and men of his command who commended themselves by
their good conduct, the list must necessarily have embraced the
greater part of the regiment !

The following are the names of the killed and mortally
wounded of the 150th in the battle of Gettysburg :

KILLED OR MORTALLY WOUNDED.
Company A.

Corporal Samuel Keyser, killed July i.
Private John Swint, killed July i.
Private Thomas P. Boyce, killed July 3.

138 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Private Joseph F. Durborrow, killed July 3.

Private Alfred Lees, mortally wounded July 3 ; died July 12.

Private Enos Mininger, mortally wounded July i ; died July 20.

Private Harvey Morris, mortally wounded July i ; died August 3.

Private George Pollard, mortally wounded July i ; died July 20. . 8

Company B.

First Lieutenant Henry Chancellor, Jr., mortally wounded July i ;

died August 7.
Second Lieutenant Charles P. Keyser, killed July i.
Private Joseph Keen, killed July i. . . . . . . .3

Company C.

Private John G. Coyle, killed July i.
Private George Kimey, killed July i.
Private Alonzo Piatt, killed July i.
Private William P. Swaney, killed July i.
Private Hosea Smith, killed July i.
Private Simon Trainer, killed July i.

Private Nathaniel P. Gowen, mortally wounded July i ; died Sep-
tember 24. . . 7

Compa7iy D.

Second Lieutenant Elias B. Weidensaul, killed July i.

Corporal William E. Henning, killed July i.

Corporal Joseph B. Ruhl, killed July i.

Corporal Joseph J. Gutelius, killed July i.

Private Henry A. Fees, killed July i.

Private William R. Miller, killed July i.

Private John May, killed July i.

Private E. A. McFadden, killed July I ' . .8

Company E.

Corporal James P. Lukens, killed July i.
Corporal Jesse Rex, killed July i.
Corporal Edward Rockhill, killed July i.

Company F.

Private John Boyer, mortally wounded July i.
Private Zacharias T. Fink, mortally wounded July i.
Private Charles F. Gibson, mortally wounded July i.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 39

Private Jonathan J. Miller, mortally wounded July i ; died August i8.

Private Frank E. Northrup, killed July i.

Private George W. Young, mortally wounded July i ; died July 9. . 6

Company G.

Sergeant Lorenzo Hodges, mortally wounded July i ; died July 16.

Corporal William J. Holmes, mortally wounded July i ; died July 23.

Private Asher M. Beckwith, mortally wounded July i ; died July 20.

Private Fulton Bee, killed July i.

Private John Benson, killed July i.

Private Nathan Hand, killed July i.

Private Isaac Pilgrim, mortally wounded July i ; died July 25.

Private Wesley Merrick, mortally wounded July i ; died July 20. . 8

Company H.

Private Frederick Fulk, killed July i.

Private Joseph Redman, killed July i.

Private Amos P. Sweet, mortally wounded July i ; died July 12. . 3

Coup any I.

Sergeant Samuel Phifer, killed July i.

Sergeant Henry A. Mudge, killed July i.

Private Charles Clyde, mortally wounded July i ; died August 5.

Private Hiram Fones, mortally wounded July i ; died August 5.

Private George W. Franklin, killed July i.

Private Jacob J. Mough, mortally wounded July i ; died July 19.

Private James Morris, mortally wounded July i ; died July 18. . . 7

Total killed or mortally wounded ...... 53

To this number should doubtless be added Private John W.
Waddell, of Company F, who has never been seen or heard of
since the battle, and who is thought by all of his comrades to
have fallen in the first day's fight.

The number of the killed and mortally wounded in the
150th, at Gettysburg, is fixed at fifty-seven by Colonel Fox, in
his book entitled " Regimental Losses in the Civil War." As
he had access to all the records of the War Department, his
figures may be regarded as authoritative.

140 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

At this late day it is, of course, impossible to obtain a com-
plete roll of the wounded, the nurnber of whom, as returned by
the Adjutant-General's Office and inscribed upon the regimental
monument, was one hundred and thirty-four. The subjoined
list has been made up with great care, and is probably correct
as far as it goes :

WOUNDED.
Field and Staff.
Colonel Langhorne Wister, mouth and face.

Lieutenant-Colonel H. S. Huidekoper, loss of right arm ; leg wound.
Major Thomas Chamberlin, shoulder and chest.
Adjutant R. L. Ashhurst, shoulder.
Sergeant- Major Thomas M. Lyon, chest. . . . . . .5

Company A.
Second Lieutenant Lyman M. Kilgore.
Sergeant John Mitchell.
Corporal Samuel Barnes.
Private H. C. Boyd.
Private Henry Folwell.
Private Stephen Harmer.
Private Paul Hoffman.
Private Jacob Keyser.
Private Thomas Maguire.
Private Isaac R. Martindell.
Private Jacob Myers.
Private Conrad Redifer.
Private Michael Sheehan.
Private Edward Steer.
Private Samuel J. White. . . . • ^5

Company B,
Sergeant William Kolb.
Corporal William Buchanan.
Private Matthew Alberts.
Private James Wilson. ..... 4

Company C.
First Lieutenant Gilbert B. Perkins.
Sergeant Duffy B. Torbett.

PENA'S YL VANIA VOL U.VTEERS.

141

Sergeant Wilson N. Clark.

Corporal Rodney Conner.

Corporal George L. Gilmore.

Corporal Cress Hellyer.

Corporal Charles H. Snyder.

Corporal Levi Sturdivant.

Private James C. Barton.

Private Lucius J. Childs.

Private Isaiah Clark.

Private Michael Dobbs.

Private Frederick Gilmore.

Private Cyrus Parker.

Private Samuel Spargo.

Private Peter Snyder.

Private George N. Waid.

Private Jonathan Williams.

Private Henry Yocum iq

Company D.
Captain William P. Dougal.
Sergeant Samuel H. Himmelreich.
Corporal James W. Marshall.
Private Samuel F. Hassenplug.
Private Charles E. Mader.
Private William Stahl.
Private Henry Wittenmyer y

Company E.
Sergeant George W. Pastor.
Private Patrick Donoghue.
Private Lorenzo Keech. . ,

Compafiy F.
First Lieutenant Chalkley W. Sears.
Sergeant Henry B. Evans.
Sergeant John C. Kensil.
Corporal George W. Bates.
Corporal Jonathan Carr.
Corporal Joseph A. Edeline.
Corporal Edward K, Hess.
Corporal Francis M. James.

142 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Private Andrew Batzel.
Private Edward B. Fowler.
Private William A. Garrett.
Private George P. Grubb.
Private John K. Himes.
Private Edward Kates.
Private David T. Jenkins.
Private Garrett C. Kean.
Private Edward McGinley.
Private Levi Munshower.
Private James Stevenson.
Private Samuel Walker.
Private John S. Weber.

Cofnfiany G.
Sergeant Cyrus W. Baldwin.
Sergeant J. Leonard Beers.
Corporal H. L. Burlingame.
Corporal Colby C. Tripper.
Corporal Herman Young.
Private J. Merritt Baldwin.
Private Merritt M. Catlin.
Private Albert L. Lamphear.
Private John Mead. .

Company H.
Sergeant James T. Reed.
Corporal Melville L. Boslough.
Corporal Roe Reisinger.
Corporal J. W. Slocum.
Private Lorenzo Abbott.
Private Edward Baily.
Private George Bartholomew.
Private George Berrier.
Private John W. Clark.
Private Jonathan Deross.
Private Abraham Foreman.
Private George Galmish.
Private John Garlow.
Private John D. Gilbert.
Private Andrew T. Harvey.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. I43

Private James M. Hill,

Private Andrew McDermott.

Private Francis Nelson.

Private William L. Perry.

Private John A. Slocum.

Private Jacob Stine 21

Company I.
Captain John W. Sigler.
First Lieutenant Miles F. Rose.
Corporal Sylvanus D. Guion.
Corporal Daniel Pauli.
Private Orrin B, Edget.
Private Smith Hubbell.
Private Philip Karch.
Private Orson R. Karr.
Private H. Banning Odell.
Private John Rader.

Private James F. Stevens. . . . .11
Total 115

The following is an imperfect list of the prisoners who were

taken to Richmond and other places in the South, many of

them having sturdily refused to be paroled' on the field. The

large percentage of deaths among them speaks more eloquently

than words of the privations which they underwent in captivity,

and of the wretched sanitary conditions which prevailed in the

" prison-pens :"

Company A.

Captain Cornelius C. Widdis.

Sergeant Henry Laut.

Corporal John Hausman.

Corporal Lewis Vogel. Died at Andersonville.

Private Frank H. Elvidge.

Private Herbert Elvidge.

Private Melville H. Freas.

Private Charles Grant. Died at Richmond.

Private George Shingle. Died at Richmond.

Private Israel H. Thomas.

Musician Philip W. Hammer. Died at Richmond. . 11

144 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Company B.
Sergeant E. L. Dickinson.

Private William Diggle. Died at Andersonville.
Private William Dunckley.
Private John Gore. Died at Richmond.

Cotnpany C.
Sergeant James H. Winans. Died at Andersonville.
Private George P. Ryan.

Private Henry T. Smith. Died at Richmond.
Private William Waid. Died at Richmond.

Compayiy D.
Private Amos Browand.
Private Isaac Eisenhauer.
Private John M. Hunt.
Private Jacob Nees.
Private John Suydam. Died at Richmond.

Company E.
First Lieutenant J. Q. Carpenter.
Sergeant George H. Crager.

Sergeant Charles W. Robinson. Died at Andersonville.
Private George W. Cattell. Died at Richmond.
Private Tames E. Graham. Died at Richmond.
Private -John Pyott, Jr. Died at Richmond. .

Company F.
Captain Henry W. Gimber.
Second Lieutenant Joseph Chatburn.
Private David Ashalter.
Musician Charles Zebley

Company G.
Private Melville Baldwin. Died at Richmond.
Private Willard Cummings.
Private Luther F. Haven.
Private Oscar Moody. Died at Richmond.
Private John Tyler

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 145

Company H.
Sergeant George Fry. Died at Andersonville.
Private Harvey Chisholm. Died at Andersonville.
Private Allen Scott, Died at Andersonville, ... 3

Company I.
Corporal Frederick Scisco. Died at Richmond.
Private Charles H. Coyle, Died at Richmond.
Private Levi Ross, Died at Richmond.
Private Gothold Scisco. Died at Richmond. . . , 4

Total ~^

146 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER XVI.

RETURN TO VIRGINIA FROM PILLAR TO POST.

The great battle of the war, which proved to be the turning-
point in the fortunes of the Confederacy, had been fought, and
the Army of the Potomac remained in possession of the field, but
with a loss of more than twenty thousand in killed, wounded,
and prisoners. Never were the wounded in any important en-
gagement more tenderly cared for than were those of the Union
forces after the close of the fight at Gettysburg. The Sanitary
and Christian Commissions vied with each other in their atten-
tions to the sufferers, and all that the plundered towns-people
could offer was freely given to promote the comfort and ease
the pain of the thousands who had here been maimed and
lacerated in their gallant stand against the invader. Multitudes
of citizens from every loyal State hurried to the scene to look
after the welfare of friends who had been disabled, or lend a
helping hand in the hospitals, and the spectacle of so much
affectionate zeal did much to tone down the actual horrors of
the struggle.

As early as the 4th of July a large portion of the Union
cavalry, including Buford's division, was in motion to harass
the retreat of the enemy, and on the succeeding day the Sixth
Corps was pushed forward on the Fairfield road in pursuit,
while other corps moved by various routes leading through
the mountains towards the upper Potomac. The First Corps
remained at Gettysburg until the morning of the 6th, when it
started for Emmittsburg, and, reaching that place early in the
afternoon, encamped in the outskirts for the night.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 47

Captain Jones was in command of the 150th, as he had been
since the evening of the ist; and, owing to the numerous
casualties in the regiment, most of the companies were com-
manded by sergeants, and in one or two instances by corporals.

Breaking camp at five a.m. on the 7th, tlie corps marched all
day, bivouacking a little after sunset within two miles of Mid-
dletown. The march continued on the 8th, with a halt of some
hours at Middletown, and the troops rested that night at South
Mountain Pass. On the 9th breastworks of stones were hastily
constructed, and the corps lay on the side of the mountain all
day. Next day it advanced through Boonsborough and formed
line of battle a mile beyond the village. On the nth, about
noon, Dana's (previously Stone's) brigade was thrown some
distance to the right, where it established itself behind strong
breastworks and remained all night.

About noon of the 12th the march was resumed, and in a
heavy thunder-storm the column passed through Funkstown
and constructed defences a short distance beyond, the rebels
being at the time in close proximity. The lines were strength-
ened on the following day, and there was some skirmishing, but
no regular attack. On the 14th the corps, now under the com-
mand of General Newton, advanced to Williamsport, on the
15th to the little village of Rohrersville, and on the i6th to the
neighborhood of Berlin. On the morning of the i8th it crossed
the Potomac on pontoons, and rested that night at Waterford,
twelve miles from the place of crossing.

On the same day the column of Union prisoners, including
from two- to threescore of the 150th, reached Staunton, Vir-
ginia, after many hardships on the long tramp. Here they were
searched and relieved of nearly everything of value. From
this point they were sent by railroad, in instalments, to Rich-
mond, where they were placed in camp, under a strong guard,
on Bell Island.

The march of Newton's corps continued from day to day,

148 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

via Hamilton, Middleburcr, and White Plains, to Warrenton,
which point was reached on the 23d. Here it rested until the
25th, when it proceeded to Warrenton Junction, where the
150th was detailed for guard duty on the line of the Orange
and Alexandria Railroad.

As the regiment was sadly reduced in strength, counting
scarcely more than one hundred for duty, Captain Jones and
Lieutenant Kilgore were now detached and sent to Philadel-
phia on recruiting service. It may be stated that they were
reasonably successful in their mission, and a number of re-
cruits joined the ranks during the autumn.

On the 1st of August, Buford's cavalry crossed the Rappa-
hannock to ascertain the whereabouts and distribution of Lee's
forces, and a good portion of the army was put in motion. On
the 2d the 150th marched to Bealeton, whence, after guarding
wagon trains at that point for two days, it advanced to Rappa-
hannock Station on the 4th. Here the sound of cannonading
could be distinctly heard in the direction of Brandy Station,
giving evidence of a cavalry encounter in that neighborhood.
The infantry was held in readiness to move, but no occasion for
its services arose.

Comparative quiet now reigned " at the front," and there is
little of interest to note for some weeks. Captain Sigler, of
Company I, upon whom the command devolved after the de-
parture of Captain Jones, had ceded the place to Captain Reis-
inger, of Company H, on the return of the latter, who, in turn,
handed over the command of the regiment to Captain Bell, of
Company G, when that officer reported for service, after an ab-
sence of some weeks on account of sickness. Lieutenant
George Bell, of Company H, occupied the position of acting
adjutant. The number of commissioned officers present was
still very small. Details of men were made from time to time
to construct rifle-pits beyond the river or cut away the woods
to give the artillery a better range.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 49

On the 1 2th of August, Company A, with a slight addition from
F, was sent to Bealeton to act as provost guard at the station.

Large bodies of troops were taken away on the cars on the
14th and following days, five train-loads leaving on the i6th,
their destination unknown. Drafted men began to arrive about
the same time in considerable numbers, consigned to various
Pennsylvania regiments, but none found their way to the 150th.

The return of Colonel Wister, on the 20th, was hailed with
pleasure by his old comrades and subordinates, and being the
ranking officer of the brigade, he relieved Colonel Dana of the
command, which the latter had held since July i.

Major Chamberlin returned on the 26th and assumed com-
mand of the regiment, which was then encamped in a pleasant
grove above the hne of the railroad, about a mile from Rappa-
hannock Station. The strength of the regiment was still below
two hundred, and little or no attention having been paid to the
clothing and equipment of the men since the great battle in
Pennsylvania, they presented a motley and brigandish appear-
ance. On the following day the major was summoned to divi-
sion head-quarters to meet General Kenly, then in command,
who informed him that he understood the 150th had formerly
enjoyed the reputation of being the best uniformed and disci-
plined regiment in the division, but in the absence of its field-
officers it had fallen off sadly in both particulars, and needed
immediate and judicious handling. He added that on the fol-
lowing Sunday he would personally inspect the entire division,
and hoped to see the 150th in such creditable condition that it
might soon be expected to resume its former status. Assuring
him that he might rest easy on that score, the major returned
to his camp and instantly took measures to realize the general's
expectations. Inspecting each company of the regiment sepa-
rately, the same afternoon, accurate note was taken of every-
thing that was needed, and requisitions were pushed in to the
quartermaster's department before sunset with such a plea of

150 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

2irgency that the supplies were forthcoming on the following
morning. Two feverish days of drilling and polishing suc-
ceeded, white gloves were unearthed somewhere, and on Sun-
day morning, August 30, no regiment in the division could
compare with the 150th in the precision of its movements, the
neatness of its uniforms, the polish of its arms and accoutre-
ments, and the striking " swellness" of its whole appearance.
The eyes of the nervous little general sparkled with pleasure
as he passed between the ranks, and his words were full of
compliment; while Major Baird, his assistant adjutant-general,
who was on especial terms of friendship with the field and staff of
the regiment, seemed ready to execute a hoe-down from sheer
satisfaction. From that time forward there was no further
complaint of the condition of the 150th.

High festival was held at the head-quarters of the Pennsyl-
vania Reserve on the evening of August 29, on the occasion
of the bestowal of a costly sword, belt, and sash on General
Meade, its former commander. Many prominent officers were
in attendance, as well as many distinguished civilians, including
Governor Curtin, the " Father of the Reserve," who presented
the sword in an eloquent speech, bubbling over with patriotic
sentiment. A banquet followed, with am[)le provision of beer,
wine, and more substantial drink ; and with toast and song and
story, interspersed with orchestral music, the hours passed mer-
rily until midnight, when the assemblage promptly dissolved.
It was a genuine military " Commers," and the spectacle of one
of the governor's staff, a veteran high up in the sixties, mounted
on a table, like an enthusiastic Corps-Bursch, lining out patriotic
verses to the air of " Villikins and his Dinah," and conducting
the singing with all the fervor and action of a band-master, was
supremely ludicrous.

While these festivities were going on, the stores of one or
two sutlers in the vicinity of the camp of the 150th were badly
raided by a mixed force of artillery and infantry, — unarmed, of

FENNS YL J \4 NIA VOL UNTEERS. I 5 I

course, — whom it was found necessary to disperse with a
squadron of horse.

On the 3d of September the regiment moved to a point about
a mile and a half below the railroad, and pitched camp in the
open fields immediately in the rear of the 2d Maine Battery,
which it had been detailed to support. Having no other dut\',
the camp was first put in perfect order, and for nearly two weeks
the command was thoroughly drilled in company and battalion
movements, enjoying in the intervals the most uninterrupted
quiet.

Writing to a friend, on the 8th of September, the major says,
" It is the first time since the regiment came into service that
we have had no guard or picket duty to perform, and alto-
gether we find it very pleasant. Our men are the most docile,
easily governed soldiers I ever saw, and I have not had to
speak a sharp word to a single soul since taking command.
Small as they are in numbers, and long as they have been
without pay, they are in the best possible spirits, and remind
me constantly of a country school turned out to play. Lieu-
tenant Thomas, of the battery, tells me he never had so well-
conducted a regiment near him, and Dr. Carter, of the 4th
Maryland, who is acting surgeon for us in the absence of Dr.
Strauss, is so well pleased that he wants to remain with us."

Lieutenant Fisher, of Company A, who had passed through
a severe attack of sickness, beginning before the battle of
Gettysburg, reported for duty on the 6th, and on the following
day took charge of his company at Bealeton. By the 15th
trains were running through to Culpeper, which thereafter
became the distributing station for supplies.

On September 16, Company A rejoined the regiment, which
with the rest of the First Corps crossed the river and marched
to Stevensburg, near Culpeper, and encamped. At this time
some disaffection existed in the 150th towards its sutler, which
on the 1 8th culminated in the presentation of the following

152 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

paper, signed by the commanding officers of all the companies

except D :

"Camp of the 150TH Pennsylvania Volunteers,
"September 17, 1863.
"To Major Chamberlin,

"Com'd'g 150TH P. V.
"Sir, — The undersigned commanders of companies of this regiment
respectfully represent to you that in their opinion the interests of the offi-
cers and men of your command would be promoted by dismissing our
present sutler, Frank Spyker, and appointing one who is more competent
to do a fair and straightforward business. We do not deem it necessary
to state in detail our reasons for taking this action, believing them to be
well understood by the regiment.

" Jas. W. H. Reisinger, Capt. Co. H.

"W. S. Pine, Capt. Co. E.

"J. W. SiGLER, Capt. Co. I.

"G. B. Perkins, First Lieut. Co. C.

" Horatio Bell, Capt. Co. G.

" C. W. Sears, First Lieut. Co. F.

" Harvey Fisher, First Lieut. Co. A.

" S. R. Beckwith, Second Lieut., com'd'g Co. B."

On the following day, while the matter was in process of in-
vestigation by the regimental commander, a second paper was
received by him, which read as follows :

" We, the undersigned, respectfully ask that the memorial presented this
day, calling for the dismissal of Mr. Spyker, our sutler, be retained at your
head-quarters without further action for the present.

"J. W. SiGLER, Capt. Co. L

" Miles F. Rose, First Lieut. Co. I.

" Lieut. C. W. Sears, Co. F.

" Wm. P. Dougal, Capt. Co. D.

"John Bredin, Second Lieut. Co. C.

" W. S. Pine, Capt. Co. E.

"Lieut. S. R. Beckwith, com'd'g Co. B.

" Lieut. G. B. Pekkins, com'd'g Co. C.

" Lieut. Harvey Fisher, com'd'g Co. A."

This "tempest in a teapot" was thus suddenly allayed, and
the sutler having been privately interviewed and admonished

PENNS YL VA XI A VOL I WT££A\S. 1 5 3

by the commander, no whisper of dissatisfaction was heard for
a long time.

Orders were received on the 2 2d to draw eight days' rations
and be in readiness to move, but camp was not struck until two
days later, when the corps advanced nearly to the Rapidan.

On the 25th a soldier of the Maryland Brigade, Third Divi-
sion, was " shot to death with musketry," in accordance with the
sentence of a court-martial, which had found him guilty of de-
serting to the enemy. To add to the enormity of his crime, he
had practised " bounty-jumping" before coming to the field.
The entire division was paraded to view his execution, which
was conducted with great solemnity. The writer, who was
present, recalls a vision of long lines of troops forming three
sides of a vast square, around which a melancholy cortege,
whose principal figure was the convict, dressed in dark trousers
and white shirt, with his arms securely pinioned, slowl}^ wound
its way to the notes of a funeral march. Before the eyes of
the prisoner swayed a rude pine coffin in the hands of stalwart
bearers, while on his heels came a firing-squad of twelve men,
whose rifles held his passport to eternity. These were followed
by the provost guard, marshalling a group of hardened offenders,
upon whom it was supposed an object-lesson of so impressive
a character could hardly fail of good effect. In the middle of
the open side of the square a grave had been dug, and here
the procession halted, a chaplain exhorting and encouraging
the doomed man while the coffin was placed in position. Then
the chaplain's voice was heard in prayer, the prisoner's eyes
were bandaged, the commands, " Ready — Aim — Fire!" rang
out in quick succession, and simultaneously with the sharp
report of the guns the unhappy deserter fell dead without a
tremor.

Marching past the corpse in columns of companies, the
troops, to lively strains from the bands, returned to their quar-
ters to meditate on this unusual occurrence.

154 ONE HUNDRED AND EIFTIETH

On account of the inflamed condition of his recent wound,
which completely disabled his right shoulder and arm, Major
Chamberlin was ordered — on the recommendation of competent
medical authority — to report to Georgetown Hospital for treat-
ment, and, being provided with the necessary pass and trans-
portation, left on the morning of the 26th. The Eleventh and
Twelfth Corps started for Tennessee on or about the same day.

During the latter part of September and the early days of
October both armies were very much on the alert, and slight
changes of position were made by every portion of Meade's
command almost daily. On the 27th of September the 150th
was located near Culpeper. On the 28th and 29th a portion of
it was picketing at Raccoon Ford, and George Dixon, of Com-
pany A, entered in his diary, " Rebels on the other side in mid-
dling good strength and well fortified." On being relieved from
picket, the companies forming the detail found the regiment
in a new location. For a week or ten days no incident oc-
curred worth chronicling. On October 9, Lieutenant Fisher
was ordered to duty with the ambulance train.

On the following day Lee's army was in motion, evidently
with a view to flank General Meade, whose force was known
to be seriously reduced, and bring him to an engagement in a
disadvantageous position. The latter was, however, well in-
formed of the enemy's intentions, and instantly began a ret-
rograde movement. The 150th, guarding the division train,
crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford on the afternoon of
the nth, and encamped. Starting again at midnight of the
1 2th, the retreat was continued, with occasional halts for obser-
vation or rest, until the 14th, when the entire Union army was
securely posted in front of the fortifications at Centreville. The
Second Corps, which constituted the rear-guard, was attacked
by General Stuart not far from Bristoe Station, but repulsed
the enemy handsomely, capturing two colors, a battery of five
guns, and several hundred prisoners.

PEA'XS I Z I 'AA'/A I 'OL UNTEERS. 1 5 5

General Meade has been much criticised for falling back
from the line of Culpeper, where — it is maintained — he might
have chosen his own position for fighting a battle, and, with
forces superior in numbers to those of the enemy, would have
had more than an even chance of success. Into the merits of
this controversy it would be unprofitable to enter. It may be
remarked, however, that the selection of a battle-ground by
no means carries with it the assurance that the shock of arms
will take place there, the enemy usually having an opinion of
his own about the matter. As no harm befell the Union army,
and its morale was unshaken by this hasty retreat, its com-
mander has claim to generous indulgence for doing what
seemed best to him at the time.

156 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER XVII.

FROM CENTREVILLE BACK TO THE " OLD STAMPING GROUND"

WARRENTON JUNCTION MINE RUN PAOLI MILLS.

Thwarted in his effort to take Meade at a disadvantage and
deliver an effective blow on his flank somewhere between the
Rappahannock and Manassas Junction, — a region whose mul-
titude of roads had more than once before furnished opportuni-
ties of successful attack by means of rapid circuitous marches,
— Lee soon retraced his steps and led his army back to the
neighborhood of Culpeper. The Union forces were promptly
in motion in the same direction.

On the 19th of October the First Corps left Centreville and
advanced to Haymarket, over roads which had been rendered
very heavy by recent rains. Next day the column passed
through Thoroughfare Gap and encamped about a mile from
Bull Run Mountain. Before the 150th and the other regiments
of the brigade had fairly relieved themselves of their knapsacks,
a considerable body of cavalry, which had pushed forward some
miles to reconnoitre, came back in headlong gallop, closely
pursued by a superior force of rebel horse, who in the gathering
darkness rode into the very midst of the infantry before per-
ceiving their danger, and only by a helter-skelter retreat escaped
capture.

On the afternoon of the 22d, Major Chamberlin returned and
resumed the command of the regiment, which had moved its
camp close to the mountain. Two days later the division retired
through the gap to Gainesville Station, and thence to Bristoe,
the Bucktail Brigade acting as rear-guard, and covering the

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 5/

wagon trains, which moved with difficult}' on account of the
miry condition of the roads. Soon after leaving Gainesville
heavy firing of small-arms was heard some distance in the rear,
and as it was supposed that Stuart's cavalry was playing some
prank with Kilpatrick, the brigade quickly took position to re-
ceive the enemy. Mounted couriers soon reported that Kilpat-
rick's command was emptying its carbines preparatory to clean-
ing them, and the march was resumed and completed without
further alarm. At Broad Run there was no bridge, and wagons
and men forded the stream in water over two feet deep. Reach-
ing Bristoe at ten p.m. thoroughly basted with mud, the troops
passed an uncomfortable night, the temperature having fallen
almost to the freezing-point.

Here the 150th remained a week or more, improving each
fair day by a full measure of company and battalion drill.
Captain Jones and Lieutenant Bell, who had been in Phila-
delphia on recruiting service, rejoined their companies about
the 23d, leaving Lieutenant Kilgore to make further efforts in
behalf of the regiment. On the 27th the 143d Pennsylvania
was sent to Manassas Junction to guard the railroad. Lieu-
tenant Fisher returned from the ambulance train to duty with
his company on the 30th.

In the early part of November a general movement of the
army began. The First and Second Divisions of the First
Corps advanced to Catlett Station, November 5, and on the
6th continued the march towards the Rappahannock. On the
latter day the Second Brigade, Third Division, moved from
Bristoe to Warrenton Junction. The Mine Run diversion
had begun.

A pleasant incident, on the 6th of November, was the unex-
pected appearance at regimental head-quarters of Private
Dennis Buckley, of Company H, 6th Michigan Cavalry, who
had borne a gallant part with the 150th at Gettysburg. He
was warmly welcomed by all who had witnessed his admirable

158 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

conduct in that engagement. " Sure, I had lots of fun after
that," he said ; and he told, among other things, how his regi-
ment had swept over some rifle-pits near Williamsport, where,
with his own hand, he had collared a rebel colonel and brought
him back a prisoner. " He was mad as a blind bull, the uppish
grayback ; but I swung my sabre in a promiscuous manner,
and he came along without further coaxing."

Dennis was a born soldier, who saw only the agreeable side
of campaigning, and never murmured at hard work as long as
he could shake a ration out of his haversack.

On the 7th the Second, Third, and a portion of the First
Corps (First and Second Divisions) took the direction of
Kelly's Ford, while the Fifth and Sixth moved towards Rap-
pahannock Station. At Warrenton Junction the sound of can-
nonading could be distinctly heard from the latter point during
the afternoon, but nothing was known of what occurred until
the following morning, when news was received of the storming
of the rebel redoubts near the railroad bridge, at nightfall, and
the capture of a large part of Hoke's and Hays's brigades, with
several stands of colors and a battery of guns. The prisoners
were marched back to Warrenton Junction on the 8th, and
sent by train to Washington. The beginning of Meade's
movement was as brilliant as its end was disappointing.

As the Third Division of the First Corps had no part in the
Mine Run affair, except to insure the safety of the army sup-
plies in transit, it is unnecessary to follow the operations of the
troops in that brief and unsuccessful campaign.

For the protection of the railroad, the several brigades of the
division were at first distributed as follows: the Third (Mary-
landers) at Bristoe Station ; the First at Catlett ; the Second
(Bucktails) at Warrenton Junction, at which last-named point
General Kenly established his head-quarters. This assignment
was soon modified, the 143d and 149th Pennsylvania being
sent to Bristoe and Manassas Junction and the Maryland

FE.WVS YL J 'AN/A VOL I 'XTEERS. I 59

Brigade transferred to Warrenton Junction. The latter station
was regarded of such importance, on account of tlie heavy
supply trains which frequently rested upon the Y, that, in addi-
tion to the 150th and the Maryland Brigade (which in numbers
equalled the other two combined), General Kenly posted two
batteries of artillery near his head-quarters, and kept a squad-
ron or two of cavalry within hail. As Mosby's independent
command of mounted bushwhackers was known to be in the
rear of the Union army, a sharp lookout was kept for him all
along the line, involving the maintenance of an extended circle
of pickets around each station, with heavy patrols in almost
constant motion up and down the railroad track. While the
Marylanders remained, the duty at Warrenton Junction was
not excessive ; but about the 23d of November, General Kenly
received orders to change his head- quarters to Rappahannock
Station, and on the following morning departed, taking with,
him the entire Maryland Brigade, the two batteries of artillery,
and the cavalry. This left the 150th, with an added detail of
about one hundred men (chiefly conscripts, newly arrived) from
the 143d and 149th, to guard a post which had previously re-
quired the services of at least two thousand troops of all arms.
Major Chamberlin, who was left in command, at once found it
necessary to contract the picket line and reduce the strength of
the patrols ; but with the best dispositions that could possibly
be made, at least one-half of his force of three hundred men
was on active duty each day. To better insure the safety of
the halted trains, he withdrew from the edge of the pleasant
grove, some distance back from the railroad, in which the camp
had originally been pitched by General Kenly's orders, and
located the regiment on a knoll immediately overlooking the
junction. Snow having fallen on November 9 and 10, giving
promise of an early winter, snug quarters were erected as
rapidly as the exacting demands of the service permitted, and
a line of rifle-pits was prepared encircling the entire camp.

l6o ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Here the men felt more secure than before, but the details for
picket and patrol purposes were necessarily as heavy as ever,
and almost nightly alarms occurring at one point or another,
from the attempts of guerillas to penetrate the lines, the
nervous tension finally became such that not a member of the
command but would gladly have exchanged places with the
troops confronting the enemy at Mine Run. Near Catlett
and other stations along the railroad the bushwhacking element
was active, and several men who had gone a short distance
from their camps to cut wood or wash their clothes were shot
down in cold blood and stripped to the skin. This state of
affairs at last became intolerable, and Colonel Biddle, com-
manding the First Brigade, sent out details of cavalry and
infantry with instructions to scour the country for several miles
on each side of the railroad, and arrest and bring to his head-
quarters, at Catlett, every male citizen who could be found.
Quite a number were " rounded up" in a few hours, — a long-
haired, brigandish-looking set, in " butternut" suits, — every one
of whom probably belonged to Mosby's " Irregulars ;" but being
well provided with properly signed passes, as well as certificates
to the effect that they had taken the oath of allegiance to the
United States government, nothing was to be done with them
but to let them go. A {t\v, whose papers were defective or
who lacked written evidence of their loyalty, were sent to Old
Capitol Prison at Washington.

Among others who were arrested was Dr. Catlett, — a gen-
tleman well advanced in years, — whose comparatively young
and handsome wife came to Colonel Biddle to plead for her
husband's release. Arrayed in the remains of ante-bellum
finery, with gown and hat of a departed fashion, her appear-
ance at a social gathering anywhere north of the Potomac
would doubtless have provoked a smile ; but to the war-worn
soldier, confined by his calling to this ravaged and hoof-beaten
strip of the Old Dominion, she was a most picturesque and

FE.VXS } L J 'AXL4 VOL UNTEERS. 1 6 1

pleasing figure. The colonel was a paragon of severity in
manner and feature, cool and passionless as an icicle ; but the
tears and entreaties of this admirable woman did their perfect
work, and her aged husband was permitted to return to his home.

Such was the feeling in the ranks towards the long-haired
gentry near the railroad, who by day were " inoffensive farmers,"
but were with reason suspected to be guerillas by night, that
when, in the course of the same afternoon, two of the lank and
hated tribe, who had been released at Catlett, passed near the
camp of the 150th, appeals were made to the commanding
officer by several of the men for permission to go outside and
waylay them. Of course he could not countenance such a
procedure, though persuaded in his own mind that a little
shooting and hanging, and a judicious application of the torch
to the farm-houses and barns on either side of the railroad,
would save the Union army a world of annoyance.

One bright afternoon, just before Thanksgiving Day, a rickety
wagon, drawn by two melancholy looking horses whose frame-
work was sharply outlined against their hides, and whose har-
ness was a complicated blending of leather and hemp, drew up
in close proximity to the camp. In it sat an old couple who
seemed to have fared as meagrely as their " critters ;" but they
were bright and chirrupy, and had brought an assorted load of
" country produce" from Brentsville, to exchange at fair prices
for greenbacks. Such an arrival was a godsend, and in a mo-
ment the wagon was surrounded by an eager crowd of pur-
chasers, clamorous for bargains. Chickens, eggs, potatoes,
turnips, and other supplies were handed out as fast as change
could be made, and were carried off to quarters in triumph. A
dainty morsel, in the shape of a pair of fine young ducks, was
coveted by many of the men ; but the three dollars at which
they were held seemed to spoil their market, and though often
caressingly handled, they invariably found their way back into
the wagon. The roguish clement is never wanting in a regi-
' II

1 62 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

ment. A fair-haired, beardless youth, of Company E, found in
the ducks an irresistible temptation. Watching his opportunity,
he slipped them from under the very noses of the old couple,
without detection, and, hiding them under his blouse, walked
coolly to his tent. The theft was soon discovered, and the air
filled with lamentations by the old woman, who vowed she
would stop all transactions then and there. They were Union
people, she said, who since the beginning of the war had suf-
fered much persecution from rebel neighbors, and had had a
hard struggle for existence. And to have her beautiful ducks
stolen by Union soldiers, — it was too much ! And she refused
to be comforted, even by the thought of the goodly roll of bills
which she had already pocketed.

The regimental commander, who from a distance had looked
on and enjoyed the scene, was cognizant of the rape of the
ducks, and felt that it was time to intervene. His desire was
to encourage the bringing of wholesome vegetables and other
supplies to the camp. He accordingly ordered the ducks to
be restored to their owners, which was done, and the old couple
drove away in their creaking vehicle in great contentment.

The health of the regiment at this time was excellent, and
Dr. Strauss, the only medical officer present, was easily able to
do justice to all his patients. Dr. Quinan, for reasons best
known to himself, failed to rejoin the command after the battle
of Gettysburg, and on the 23d of November was dismissed
the service, thus making way for the promotion of Dr. Strauss.

Shortly before this (November 15) Henry M. Kieffer,* a fair-
haired drummer-boy of Company D, in the absence of a hos-
pital steward, was promoted to that position. Being a bright,
intelligent youth, of good education, and a general favorite in

* Rev. Henry M. Kieffer, D.D., is best known by his " Recollections of
a Drummer-Boy," which first appeared in St. NicJtolas, and since, in
book form, have given pleasure to many thousands of readers.

•\^

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 163

the regiment, his appointment gave great satisfaction, though in
its reduced condition the drum-corps keenly felt his withdrawal.

Expressions of regret were often heard at the fact that Ad-
jutant Ashhurst's services were lost to the command, that
accomplished officer having retired from the army on the lOth
of September, on surgeon's certificate of disability. Highly
educated, polished in his manners, of a genial disposition, con-
scientious and untiring in the discharge of his countless duties,
patriotic, brave, and always gentlemanly, he was sorely missed
in the detail work of the regiment, and his absence left a void
in the head-quarters mess which it was impossible to fill.

On the morning of November 30, Lieutenant W. L. Wilson,
acting assistant adjutant-general. First Brigade, brought an
order from Colonel Biddle (to whose command the 150th was
temporarily assigned) to send a sergeant and twenty-one men
for permanent duty at Licking Run Bridge, about two miles
west of Warrenton Junction. Major Chamberlin, wondering
if the colonel had gone entirely daft, immediately mounted his
horse and rode to Catlett, hoping to have the order counter-
manded. Colonel Biddle assured him that it had come down
from division head-quarters and was imperative.

" But, colonel, you know as well as I do that Mosby's men
are in our neighborhood, and that placing so small a force at
that distant post is simply inviting its capture. It would not be
surprising if the men were all gobbled up the very first night."

" I know it," said the colonel ; " but there is no alternative,
and you are absolved in advance from all responsibility for the
consequences."

The detail was sent out about noon, and fixed its camp at
the foot of the high embankment, on the farther side of the
stream, a few yards from the bridge. That night, about eleven
o'clock, firing was heard in the direction of Licking Run, and
twenty minutes later one of the men of the detail came in
breathless, stating that the post had been attacked by Mosby

164 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

and several of the guards captured. A mounted orderly was
sent in hot haste to Colonel Biddle to report the disaster and
request that a squadron or two of cavalry be despatched to the
scene. Four companies of the 150th had been instructed to
sleep with their accoutrements on, and these were promptly
called out and marched with the utmost rapidity towards the
bridge. The cavalry passed them on the way, but failed to
encounter Mosby, who had had ample time to reach a place of
safety. On arriving at the bridge, the infantry found the guards
at their posts, and quickly learned the details of the attack, which
was less disastrous in its results than it might have been. The
force of the enemy was variousl}' estimated at from fifty to a
hundred, and had come down quietly on the little camp, in the
darkness, evidently with a full knowledge of its exact location
and the number of men with whom they had to deal. The
sentinels on duty gave the alarm as soon as the enemy's ap-
proach was discovered, but it was too late, and seven men were
picked up before they could get out of their tents. The rest
escaped across the run and opened a vigorous fire, which
doubtless had much to do with the hasty disappearance of the
attacking party, who made no effort to fire the bridge. Strength-
ening the guard, and leaving a reliable commissioned officer in
charge, the major led the four companies back to camp. A
few days later a Richmond paper, which in some way had
come through the lines, reported the arrival of " seven prisoners
who had been captured near Warrenton Junction by Colonel
Mosby's command." Of those taken, a portion belonged to
the detachment of the 143d and 149th temporarily serving
with the 150th ; but Privates Samuel G. Stephens, of Company
H, and Samuel A. Wheeler, of Company I, — possibly one or
two other 150th men, — were among the unfortunates. The
two named died at Andersonville, Georgia, in 1864.

The Fifth Corps came in from the Rappahannock, December
4, looking rather rusty after its operations beyond the Rap-

P£A\VS YLl'A XI A VOL UXTEEHS. 1 6 5

idan, and relieved the First Corps as railroad guards. On the
afternoon of the 5th the regiment marched with Colonel Biddle's
brigade to Bealeton, and on the following morning crossed the
Rappahannock and proceeded to Paoli Mills, encamping in a
small open space sheltered on three sides by woods. The next
few days were employed by the men in putting up comfortable
quarters, as the nights were beginning to be cold. At the
mills, not far from the camp, were a number of old wooden
buildings, entirely unoccupied, and by permission of Colonel
Wister, who had brought up the rest of the Second Brigade,
the men of his command helped themselves to the boards,
using them as flooring for their tents. The owner of the
property entered complaint at General Newton's head-quarters,
and by the general's order Colonel Wister was put in arrest.
This engendered a storm of indignation throughout the corps,
which grew in intensity from day to day, until its echoes
reached the ears of the corps commander. Colonel Wister
was very popular among all the officers, by whom his action
was thoroughly approved, and, with his Quaker-like views of
what was permissible in the enemy's country in time of war,
there was no disposition on his part to make any apology for
his conduct. The situation was probably made clear to Gen-
eral Newton by his chief of staff, Colonel Kingsbury, for after
a few days' delay the colonel was permitted to resume his
sword. A symposium of rejoicing was held at brigade head-
quarters the same night, and tradition has it that certain com-
missary stores were much reduced before the assembled officers
had given full expression to their satisfaction at the colonel's
release. Occasional war-whoops pierced the silence of the
surrounding camps, whose occupants might have imagined an
irruption of savage marauders, intent on painting the country
red, if they had not understood the nature of the demonstra-
tion and its cause, which latter had their unqualified approval.
The return of Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekopcr on Saturday,

1 66 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

December 12, was a pleasurable event to his immediate com-
mand and to his many friends in the army. His empty sleeve,
pinned across his breast, recalled most vividly the unequal
struggle of July I, in which he had acquitted himself with the
skill of an old campaigner, ably seconding the plans of Colonel
Wister, and by his personal undertakings adding lustre to the
record of the regiment. He had hardly reached the camp
before he was in his " working harness," and when Sunday
dawned, an added polish to arms and accoutrements bore wit-
ness in advance to the thoroughness of his anticipated inspec-
tion, and to the desire of the men to maintain their old-time
reputation.

Two days after his arrival, in writing to a member of his
family, Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper says, " We lie east of
Brandy Station, about six miles over a fearful road, which
Lieutenant Huidekoper is now corduroying. The men are
making themselves comfortable, and the nice little regiment
gives us no more trouble than a brood of chickens. . . . The
army has helped itself generally to horses. Some of our cap-
tains have horses. Colts, geese, and chickens have domesti-
cated themselves in the camps. Colonel Wister has one goose,
chickens, and seventeen sheep."

A i&w days later (December 19) he writes, "The major has
gone off on a ten days' leave. Wise man, not to stay where he
is not needed ! One field-officer is all that our small brood
needs to keep it in order, and then four eyes would see more
rebel property disappear than two eyes, which would be harsh
towards men fighting for their country. Our men, one night
on the march, had to give up nine horses. When they moved
in the morning they had fifteen more. Self-preservation is a
commendable trait in soldiers."

Speaking of horses, the entire region from Manassas to the
Rapidan abounded in these animals, many of which had been
disabled in battle, while others had broken down in the trans-

F£A'.vs ] 'z r: / .^ va j ^ol unteers. i ^y

portation service and had been turned loose to die at their
leisure. Rest and abundant pasture in many instances restored
the suffering beasts to a fair condition of health and strength,
and such were speedily utilized by the infantry officers in con-
veying their baggage from one camping ground to another.

On one occasion, " Rody," of Company B, came into camp
leading by an improvised rope halter a wretched mule, which
had been discharged for disability and with difficulty was going
on three legs. On its back he had packed a mass of camp-
kettles, knapsacks, and miscellaneous articles, which completely
masked the animal's body, and rose like a mountain in the
centre. Addressing his company commander, he said, —
" Captain, I've brought you a horse to carry your baggage."
" But what are you doing with that house-furnishing stock
on his back ?"

"Well, you see, captain, the d— d beast kicks like h — 1, and
I had to load him down to keep him from kicking."

At that moment the offended mule began to give a practical
exhibition of his attainments as a kicker, and never ceased
until he had relieved himself of the entire burden of what
" Rody" was pleased to call his " equipperments."

It is needless to add that the captain declined the proffered
pack-horse.

On the 14th of December, Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper
writes, " Colonel Wister made a capture of some hundred sheep
a few days ago, and has still a few left, which Rittenhouse pre-
pares for us when we want mutton. . . . Leaves of absence and
furloughs are being granted to the number of eight to a regi-
ment at one time, and I am thronged by worthy applicants.
As a rule, I give preference to the married men, and the boys
laughingly ask permission to go home to get married.''

On the 2ist, in another letter, he says, "Thanks for the
stockings for the men, which were distributed immediately to
the most needy, as requested. Colonel Wister advised, when

1 68 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFriETII

he heard I had stockings for the men, to give them away at
guard-mounting. The man who saluted me worst yesterday,
and who was evidently the most needy, had a pair promised
him as soon as he should learn to salute properly, which he
soon did. I was almost tempted to keep one of the fine pairs
for myself, but it went to a Germantown boy. . . . Our cook.
Nelson, who is nearly sixty years of age, will not allow the
' boys' to do anything for me. He receives at my hands a
ration of whiskey a day, saying, ' Massa, I need it ; I'se getting
old.'"

Winter had now fairly set in, but the regiment was provided
with comfortable quarters and looked forward to weeks, if not
months, of profound inactivity. With much labor they had
constructed huts of young pine timber, with generous fire-
places and approved chimneys, and hoped to be allowed to
enjoy them until the opening of spring should summon them
to fresh campaigns. In this they were disappointed. On the
23d of December the ground was covered with snow and the
air was clear and crisp, making the atmosphere of the well-
built quarters doubly enjoyable. Before night orders came
to be ready to move, and on the 24th the division broke
camp and marched, over roads that would have been almost
impassable but for a foundation of recently laid corduroy, to
Culpeper Court-House, which was reached about four p.m.
Here the regiment bivouacked just outside of the upper end of
the town, in a grove of young pines, not far from a large frame
dwelling which had been selected by General Kenly as his
head-quarters. The 143d and 149th went into the oak timber
half a mile beyond, on the property of a Mrs. Green, — a comely
widow of most lady-like manners and still in the freshness of
her womanhood, — a part of whose delightful old mansion was
occupied by Colonel Wister and the brigade staff.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 69

CHAPTER XVIII.

CULPEPER — RACCOON FORD — A WOULD-BE INCAPABLE — AN
APPEAL TO CESAR — RESIGNATIONS.

On account of the cold, and indifferent shelter, the first night
at Culpeper was cheerless enough, and Christmas morning
found nothing in the stockings of the men but half-benumbed
feet. Fortunately, the grove in which the regiment was located
offered ample material for winter-quarters, and a score of axes,
in hands long accustomed to their use, soon cleared the ground
and shaped the timber for building purposes. In two or three
days, under the commander's supervision, a model camp was
completed, as accurate in its alignments and snug in its con-
struction as a well-ordered New England village. To insure
proper drainage, the company streets were cleared of stumps,
and surface sewers hollowed out on each side, leading down the
slope to the little valley below. Then, by incessant raids on the
commissary department, enough empty boxes were finally se-
cured to furnish each hut with a substantial floor, — a matter of
prime importance from a sanitary point of view. When all was
finished, the regiment was justly proud of its camp, which in
symmetry and picturesqueness was probably not surpassed by
any in the army.

Colonel Wister now commanded five regiments, — viz., the
I2ist, I42d, 143d, 149th, and 150th Pennsylvania, — which by
the consolidation of the First and Second Brigades became the
First, while Colonel Dushane's brigade of Marylanders, previ-
ously the Third, became the Second. The morning reports of
the 150th showed two hundred and forty one enlisted men

170 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

present for duty, and the entire strength of the First Brigade
did not equal that of two full regiments.

On December 27, Lieutenant-Colonel Huidekoper writes,
" General Kenly has taken a great liking to our regiment, and
one result is that I secured, out of proper position, a beautiful
grove as a site for our camp, and the men are busily felling the
trees for their huts. It is raining terribly, and the men are
still lying on the ground, tentless. I pity them from the bottom
of my heart."

On December 29 he continues, " I have been in the saddle
nearly all day, hurrying the men in their work of camp-making,
so that another storm will find them housed against its fury. I
tired out the major's horse this morning and rode mine in the
afternoon. Bought some boards on a fence, and hope by to-
morrow night to have regimental head-quarters attractive
enough to make the major glad to return to his ' home and
family,' as I hope he will do soon [the major was absent on
leave]. The other regimental commanders laugh when they
ask me how I got so nice a place for our camp.

"January i, 1864, At three, Major C and I dined at

division head-quarters. Owing to weakness from our wounds,
we are both housed away from the regiment, but the men make
such a racket at night that we must join them as soon as we
can get our hut finished.

" Colonel Wister received a box of toys this morning, which
he intends for presents to the children in Culpeper."

The long-awaited resting-time had at last arrived. On New
Year's Day, Dixon, of Company A, records in his diary, " The
Blue Ridge covered with snow. Clear and cold."

On the 2d he is still more brief: " Very cold last night."

Of course, in such weather, with the ground frozen and
rough beyond description, drilling was not even thought of,
and as both camp and picket details were light, there was
ample leisure for reading and reflection, social visits and card-

PEA'XSYLVAXIA VOLUNTEERS. \y\

playing, especially the latter. On the 3d the lieutenant-colonel
writes, '' Colonel Wister's resignation has been disapproved
because of his excellence as a brigade commander.

" The major goes to camp to-day, and I follow soon. We
have not had a dress parade or held an inspection for ten days,
so that the men might work on their huts and camp."

On the 7th the same officer notes the fact that the ther-
mometer marks ten degrees above zero, and adds that he and
the major "are discussing which shall sit up to-night and tend
fire."

Some little excitement prevailed for a day or two in the
camp of the 150th, immediately after the men had settled down
in their new quarters, in consequence of the disappearance of
a^ fine heifer belonging to one of the citizens of the town.
Complaint was made at division head-quarters, and a patrol
was sent out to discover, if possible, what disposition had been
made of the carcass. Diligent search was made in the huts of
the 150th for traces of the contraband beef, but nothing was
found, although nearly every pound of it was hidden Iway
under the floors, and afterwards formed part of savory stews
and roasts which filled the camp with grateful odors. There
was reason to believe that the officer in charge of the investi-
gation not only had no heart in his work, but was in full sym-
pathy with those who were concerned in the abduction and
slaughter of the animal. At all events, his report was such
as to relieve the regiment from suspicion of any participation
in the affair.

General Kenly having gone North on leave of absence about
the beginning of the new 3'ear, Colonel Dushane was tempo-
rarily in command of the division. On the 9th of January the
following order was received at regimental head-quarters :
" Special Order No. 7.

" A board, to consist of Major Chamberlin, 150th Pennsylvania X'olun-
teers; Captain Irvin, 149th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers; and

.172 ONE HUNDRED AND EIETIETH

Captain W. W. Dorr, 121st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, will
assemble at the Head-Quarters First Brigade, Third Division, on Monday,
January ii, 1864, at nine a.m., or as soon thereafter as practicable, for
the examination of First Lieutenant William C. Andrews, Company F,
8th Regiment Maryland Volunteers, as to his qualification as an officer,
he having tendered his resignation on the ground of alleged incompe-
tency. Captain Dorr will act as recorder of the board, and will forward
the proceedings to these Head-Quarters.

" By command of

"Colonel Dushane.
[Signed] " Edward C. Baird,

" Major and A. A. G.

" Hd.-Qrs. First Brig., Third Div.,

" First Army Corps.

" January 9, 1864.
" Official :

"■John E. Parsons,

"Lieut, and A. A. A. C"

The case was so unusual that the officers named in the special
order awaited with no little curiosity their meeting with Lieu-
tenant Andrews. At the time and place appointed he appeared,
young, bright, alert, with prepossessing manners, and free from
every trace of the dejection that might have been looked for
in one who thought so meanly of his own ability. When the
examination began, his pride evidently got the better of his
intentions, and throughout the sitting his replies to questions
concerning the manual, company, and battalion movements,
and all the duties of a line-officer, were so prompt and correct
that at the close the board felt satisfied that not one in a dozen
of his rank was equally well instructed, and wondered what on
earth had prompted him to resign on such a preposterous plea.
The chairman could only hint at the propriety of an explana-
tion, which the young man was indisposed to give; and as the
order constituting the board exacted no recommendation one
way or the other on their part, the recorder was instructed to
send up the minutes as they stood, with the verbatim replies

FA.VXS } L I : / N/A VOL LLYTEEJiS. 1 7 3

to the several questions, leaving to the division commander the
final decision of the case. Whether the lieutenant was per-
mitted to retire to private life, or retained in the position which
he was so competent to fill, none of the examining officers ever
learned ; but they all agreed at the time that there was " a
woman in the case."

In a letter written January 29, Lieutenant-Colonel Huide-
koper states, " General Newton, his wife, and some friends rode
over last evening to witness the best dress parade our regiment
ever had. Mrs. Newton remarked to me that she had been
told the 150th was above all other regiments in its excellence
of drill and discipline."

On the 31st he adds, " General Newton brought a friend in
citizen's dress to our camp to-day, to see ' the finest camp in
the Army of the Potomac,' he said."

Chaplain William McCormick, who had been promoted to
that position from the ranks of Company C, February 13, 1863,
was discharged on the 14th of January, 1864, on surgeon's
certificate of disability.

About the same time William Wright, who had been com-
missioned lieutenant and adjutant in the autumn of the previous
year, but had been prevented from assuming the duties of his
new position by a severe attack of sickness which kept him
from the field for several months, returned to the regiment and
relieved Acting Adjutant Tryon. Lieutenant Wright had pre-
viously been commissary sergeant, in which capacity he had
given proof of superior ability, and won the approbation of
the entire command.

Dr. John L. Morris, appointed assistant surgeon January 16,
1864, was assigned to the 150th, and reported for duty a few
days later.

On the 6th of February the First Corps, under orders from
General Sedgwick, who in General Meade's absence was in
command of the army, advanced to Raccoon Ford to feel the

174 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

enemy and ascertain whether he was still in force in that neigh-
borhood. Under cover of artillery, a body of infantry crossed
the Rapidan and moved across the fields towards the higher
p-round, with a strong line of skirmishers well to the front, who
soon encountered the rebel pickets and drove them back some
distance. In a few minutes hurrying lines of rebel infantry
came in view, and as soon as within range engaged the Union
troops. The latter, in accordance with their instructions, fought
in retreat, and, under the protection of well-posted batteries,
safely repassed the river. The whole movement was beauti-
fully executed, and the action, which lasted less than half an
hour, was in plain sight and offered a most interesting spectacle.
The corps bivouacked in the woods for the night, with a heavy
cordon of pickets near the stream. Rain fell in torrents, and
in the chill air, with insufficient shelter, both officers and men
suffered great discomfort, laying the foundation of many severe
colds and other more serious ailments. The next day continued
wet, and, the ground having become excessively miry, no fur-
ther demonstration was made. About four o'clock in the after-
noon the troops started on the return march, leaving the pickets
in position until after nightfall, when the disagreeable duty fell to
Major Chamberlin — who had relieved Colonel Dushane in the
morning — of gathering in about four hundred men, scattered
along a line of perhaps three miles, and leading them, in Egyp-
tian darkness, over roads in which the mud seemed almost fath-
omless, back to their quarters at Culpeper. Soon after quitting
the front the column encountered and was sharply challenged
by a large cavalry outpost, mounted and in line of battle, with
carbines in hand, who, not having been informed of the fact that
the infantry pickets were still out, mistook the latter for the
enemy and were upon the point of firing. Many shoes were
left sticking in the mud on this memorable march, and haver-
sacks and canteens whose straps proved unequal to the strain
were irretrievably lost.

J'/tAWS YL VANIA VOL UNTEERS. i - -

Again peace and quiet reigned in the army, and, the weather
contnnnng fickle, httle was asked of officers or men beyond
the,r regular "turn" of camp and picket duty, though dress
parade was observed with the usual formality as often as the
conditions warranted. " Poker^-more or less indulged in at all
t.mes-suddenly became an absorbing occupation, the private
sold.er yieldmg to its fascinations as readily as his superiors
and nskmg h,s scanty allowance as heedlessly as the latter their'
liberal stipend. At the various head-quarters-brigade divi-
sion, corps, and army-the game had immense vogue, and not
infrequently members of the staffs lost or won. in a single nic^ht
he pay of several months. The epidemic struck the cam^ of
the 150th along with the rest.-in one case with an unfortu-
nate result Lieutenant Rose, of Company I, in disregard of
a well-estabhshed regulation, sought play and companionship
among some of the enlisted men of his command. This miaht
have passed with a reprimand, had it come to the knowledge
of head-quarters in a quiet way; but in an altercation which
arose one night over the cards, long after "taps" had sounded
blows were exchanged, accompanied by loud and violent lan-
guage from the lieutenant, whose voice could easilv be distin-
guished by the entire regiment, and in the intere'st of disci-
pline the commander was compelled to prefer charges against
the offender. A court-martial followed, whose sentence of
dismissal from the service was duly confirmed. February 2.
I004. "^ •^*

Dming the month of February many ladies visfted their
friends m the army, and were handsomely entertained at the
vanous head-quarters. Excursions on l,orseback and in am-
bulances to Pony Mountain and other points of interest were
of almost daUy occurrence, and review followed review, chiefly
-.t vvas thought-for the benefit of these welcome visitors On
the .eth the Third Division of the First Corps was rev ew^d
on the 2 1st the Bucktail Brigade paraded in its best regimentals,'

176 ONE HUNDRED AND EIETIETH

and on the 23d, General Newton exhibited his whole command
to a body of distinguished guests. On several afternoons
groups of officers and ladies, mounted or in ambulances, came
from corps head-quarters to witness the dress parades of the
150th, whose white gloves, natty uniforms, and perfect handling
of the musket had extended its reputation quite beyond the
limits of the division. Even General Newton complimented
the regiment by his presence on two of these occasions.

Immediately after the review on the 23d, the Misses Ken-
nedy, of Washington City, and other invited guests were en-
tertained at dinner by Colonel Wister, at his head-quarters in
Widow Green's mansion. In the evening the colonel ap-
peared for the last time at the dress parade of his regiment, and
at its close took leave of the command in a few words full of
feeling. All of the officers and many of the men thronged
about him to grasp his hand and wish him well in his career as
a private citizen. His resignation dates from the 22d, and on
the 24th he left for home.

Colonel Wister was a Quaker by descent, and shared many
of the virtues of that severe sect, while casting his lines chiefly
with the " world's people." From the bluntness and honesty
of his ways, the stranger was apt to receive a disagreeable im-
pression at first acquaintance ; but once admitted to a footing of
intimacy, no one could have desired a better friend or a more
genial companion. He was a hater of all shams, and impatient
of every form of meanness. As a soldier, he was alert, brave,
and full of resource, — traits which stood him in good stead as
a commander. After serving actively for nearly three years,
during which he received two wounds, and commanding a
brigade for the last seven months, he felt — now that he was
about to be relieved from the higher position by the return of
Colonel Roy Stone — that his little regiment, which had been
reduced by battle and disease to less than two hundred and
fifty men for duty, could get along very well without him, and

P EXNSYLV.lv J A VOLUNTEERS. lyy

that he could properly be spared from the field to attend once
more to his long-neglected private interests,*

There were few companies at the seat of war which did not
contain at least one disillusioned youth who had found soldier-
ing anything but the picnic he had painted it, and, dispirited by
sickness or chafing under the restraint of military discipline,
was ready to adopt almost any measure to compass his return
to the parental roof. Receiving little but ridicule from his
comrades and meagre allowance of sympathy from his imme-
diate officers, he not infrequently poured his tale of woe into
the ears of some one high in authority, in the hope of obtaining
the desired rehef. President Lincoln no doubt received many
communications like the following, which is a verbatim et litera-
tim copy of a document referred down through the " regular
channels," starting at the White House and ending at the
head-quarters of the regiment :

" Writen to the Pre$adent of the United States.

" Camp Near Culpeper

" Feby the 20th / 64.
"Presadent Sir, Mr A. Lincoln. — I this evning I sit down to write
to you (a Soldier Friend !). Mr L, I am a private in Comp. H. 1 50th Regt.
Pa. Vol. I enlisted in the year 1862, September the ist and sworn into
United States Survice on the 4th day September. I was a Stought and
heartey Farmer Boy then. My first Sickness was braught on by lying on
the ground allthough it was warm wether and on the 28th of Oct. / 62 I was
taken to Carver Hospital with the Typhoid Fever and where I had a hard
Strugle betwene life and deth, and since then I havent ben fit fore a Sol-
dier ; and in January I left Carver Hospital fore my Regt I had hered that
I was gowing to leave fore Vergina and I wanted to go with them allthough

* Colonel Wister (who received the brevet rank of brigadier-general at
the close of the war, on the recommendation of Major-General Double-
day) died at Germantown, March 19, 1891, at the home in which he was
born, in his fifty-seventh year. He was laid to rest in Laurel Hill Ceme-
tery by the surviving field- and staff-officers of his regiment, his coffin
draped with its cherished colors, bearing the record of its many battles.

178 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

I was not fit, and I went with them to Bell plain Landing whare we landed
on a very fine day and marched about 2 miles where we Encamped we
made tents or Shelters from the gum blankets ore Ponshows, and we laid
down on the Cold ground which frose that night hard and it rained till
near Midnight and then it comenced to snow and it snowed all that day,
and 1 was agane put in the Regt. Hospital and about a Week ore two
after I was Detailed fore Teamster in the Ordanence Department. I was
sick there about two weekes and then I was In purty good health such as
it was I was Teamster about 6 months that was till after the Gs.Burg
Battel when we came to Raphanack River there I" was taken with the
Cronick Diareah and then with Typhoid Fever I was sent to Fairfax Sim-
unary where onder the good care of Dr Huselton I was brought around
so 1 could walk I was then sent from there to Chestnut Hill Hospital
whare I Receved very good atension from Dr Budd and on the 18th of Jan-
uary 1864 1 left Chestnut Hill Hosp fore my Regt. I arived at Convales-
cent Camp January the 22d / 64 here I aught to have ben Examend but I
was not although I made an aplication fore it they told me that none ware
Examind there at that time they told us that we would be examind at
Jenareal Mead Head Quar. but we was not now I am in my Regement
agane and not fit fore duty at all as the Typhoid Fever has as I think and
the Doctors say Disabled me for life. I am Entirely lame in my left Side
the Medical Directors at Convalesants Camp told me to appley to my
Capt and to the Comander of the Regt. fore my Discharge well this Evning
the Captain Came back from his forlow and came to see me and he
wanted to know how I was geting along I told him how it was and Showed
him my Sertificates of Dibility but he said he dident no what to due about
it he sead he couldent do Enything fore me that he new of he said that
the Doctors would be likely to keepe me till the Army Moved and then
they would send me of to the Hospital at Washington agane.

" Now Mr L. I am but a poor farmer Boy. I have lost my health in this
Nobel Cause of ours in trying to put down this Rebelion the Tradors of
the South they that tore down that Nobel flag of General Washington the
Flag that our fore Fathers gave to us. Mr Lincoln I am as I told you a
poor farmer son my Mother is a widow she was willing to let me come
to help to crush this Rebelion but alas that young man of 20 years that
was then in full Bloom is now but a faided flower of the North nothing
but a Skeliton that onst wore those Rosey cheeks of helth. I have 8
Brothers and Sisters all younger then myself the next oldest to me has
broken his leg So he is a cripel for life so I am all my Mothers Suport if
I was at home where I could get the Comforts of life I think I would get
back my health at least so I could Earn my living and be a grate Com-

PEA^NSYLVAA'IA VOLUNTEERS. 179

fort to my Mother where heare I am only Expence to the Goverment
and doeing my Country no good.

" My kind Friend of Friends you have the power to help me a grate
deal you have the power to due it if I am not mistaken which I hope not my
Friend will you please see to my case I am in Misery heare last night I
had the Eare ache most all night and I have a bad sore throat, will you
my dear Friend see to my case fore me you can due it a grate deal fore me ;
healp me fore my poor widow Mother sake healp me out of my misery as
I am in misery as long till I can lay in Some beter place than on the cold
damp ground healp me before it is to late and I will bless you as long as
there is breath in me. I would willingly help my fellow comrads put down
this rebelion but my heath wont permit me to due so.

" I must close my letter by Sending my blessings of which I ask of god
upon you and may god Bless you the Remandier of your life is the prayer

of your soldier friend .

" Mr Lincoln

" if you wish to write to my Captain ore Cornel
Address Cornel Wister 150 Reg P.W Captaine (James) Reisinger of
Comp H 150 Regt. Pa Vols

" if you will write to me and tel me if you can due anything

fore me, address

" Comp. H 150 Reg pa Vol
" in care of Capt Reisinger

" Washington D. C.

" please help me if you can your obedent Survent

" I hope Mr Presadent that you will foregive me fore my forewardness
to you and in Asking of you such a faveret

" I speake not ill of my Comanders they say that they can not due me
enything at all Sir 1 have Certificates sined and sworne to in my posesion
by Reliabel Doctors and if you wish to see them I will send them to you.

" I am sory to put you to in eny way in trouble of eny kind, but I did
not no ho to turn to fore Redress and some of my friends told me to write
to the Presadent that there I would get my right.

" I have a grate Confidence in our Good Presadent hoe has dun a grate
deal fore us poor Soldiers
" Mr Lincoln

" there are a few more of such men ore boys as myself hear are not fit
to be a Solder than I am."

This extraordinary petition, embellished with many quaint
conceits of ornamental penmanship, utterly failed of its object.

l80 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

The " faided flower of the North" in a {q.\\ weeks outgrew his
compHcated ailments, bore his musket manfully, and was
counted among the seriously wounded in the fierce encounter
of the Wilderness on the 5th of the following May.

On the retirement of Colonel Wister, Lieutenant-Colonel
Huidekoper was commissioned colonel (February 23), but the
strength of the regiment having fallen below the inininuim
fixed by the War Department, he was not entitled to muster.
The loss of his right arm proved so serious a disability that,
despite his devotion to the cause and his natural fondness for
military things, he deemed it only the part of wisdom to return
to civil life, leaving to others the work in which he had already
made so heavy a sacrifice. His resignation was sent in on the
2d of March, and three days later he took leave of the regi-
ment, to the great regret not merely of his own command, but
of many officers in the brigade, division, and corps, who recog-
nized in him one of the ablest tacticians of his rank and one
of the best disciplinarians in the army.

Captain J. W. H. Reisinger was soon after transferred to
another field of service, having received a commission as
major in the 25th United States Colored Troops, dating from
March 12. The vacancy thus created in his company was
not filled until June, when Lieutenant George Bell became
captain.

In the early part of March a number of bright, spring-like
days dried up the mud and drew the troops to the drill-field
as naturally as school-boys, under similar conditions, are drawn
to the play-ground. Here, it was the school of the company,
the battalion, the brigade, which in the course of a week or
two gave to each man as thorough a knowledge of the fields
around Culpeper as if he had been a local surveyor. Inspec-
tions and reviews continued to fill up odd intervals, cavalry and
artillery taking their turn with the well-worked infantry in
these frequent diversions. It began to be whispered that im-

Colonel George W. Jones.

QUARTEKMASTEK A. S. VoORHIS.

Adjutant William Wright.

ASSIS'IAM blKl.LON I. L. MiiRRIS

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. l8l

portant changes were about to be made in the organization of
the Army of the Potomac, and that General Grant was to be
summoned East to direct its operations in the coming cam-
paign, clothed with powers which would enable him to control
all the forces of the Union and move them in concert on one
far-reaching plan. These rumors were speedily confirmed. On
the 9th of March the grade of lieutenant-general, which had
been revived by Congress, was bestowed upon Grant, who lost
no time in visiting the army at Culpeper and conferring with
General Meade, though he did not transfer his head-quarters
to Virginia until some weeks later. Meade's plan of reorgan-
ization''contemplated the consolidation of the First and Third
Corps with the Fifth and Second respectively, by which each
of the latter would thereafter contain four divisions.

On the 17th of March, Major Chamberlin, who had been
commissioned lieutenant-colonel on the 6th, to succeed Colonel
Huidekoper, and who had been practically in command of the
regiment the greater part of the time since the closing days of
August, 1863, left the army and returned to civil life. His
health had been impaired by exposure during the winter, and
the disability resulting from his wounds was such that either
hospital treatment or a definitive withdrawal from the field be-
came imperative. He regretfully chose the latter alternative,
and, his resignation having been accepted (on surgeon's certifi-
cate of disability), turned over the command to Captain George
W. Jones, the ranking line-officer. Captain Widdis, who was
still a prisoner in the South, was commissioned lieutenant-
colonel, to date from March 18, but for some unexplained
reason Captain Jones failed to receive his promotion as major
until the 30th of the following month. At this time the regi-
ment, numbering a little less than two hundred and fifty men,
was in the highest state of efficiency, and— as Colonel Huide-
koper had truthfully declared—" gave no more trouble than a
brood of chickens."

1 82 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER XIX.

ACROSS THE RAPIDAN — THE WILDERNESS.

The merging of the First Army Corps into the Fifth, by
which the former lost its identity during the rest of the war,
was a source of profound regret to all who had served with it,
and under McDowell, Hooker, Reynolds, and Doubleday had
assisted in giving it an enduring name in history. Unfortu-
nately, the departure of a number of regiments whose terms of
enlistment had expired, and the marked depletion of its ranks
by the accidents of battle, seemed to justify this disagreeable
measure, against which even those who questioned its expedi-
ency hesitated to present a formal protest.

By this change the Fifth Corps was much strengthened, and
consisted thenceforward of four divisions, commanded in their
numerical order by Generals Griffin, Robinson, Crawford, and
Wadsworth. Stone's brigade became the third in Wadsworth's
(Fourth) division.

The army continued its encampment in the vicinity of Cul-
peper, and until the beginning of May every portion of it was
kept astir, drilling almost daily — frequently in heavy marching
order — in preparation for the severe demands about to be made
upon it. Inspections were frequent and thorough, to detect
and remedy any defects in the equipment of the troops while
the needed supplies were easily within reach.

Special Order No. 'j%, issued by General Wadsworth, April
6, contained the following paragraph :

" lo. Lieutenant-Colonel Osborne, division inspector, and Lieutenant
Tinker, division ordnance officer, will forthwith make a thorough inspec-
tion of the arms and equipments of this command, and will report there-
upon ; and likewise in the order of merit or demerit of the three regiments

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 83

in which the arms and equipments are in the best condition, and the three
in which they have been most neglected,

" This report will be made as soon as possible, and will be published
throughout the command."

From the circular which was soon after published, it will be
seen that the 150th continued to maintain its well-earned repu-
tation, and but for the fact that the 6th Wisconsin enjoyed the
advantage of a more recent issue of clothing, the Bucktail
Regiment would probably have stood first in the order of merit
in dress and appearance.

" HEAD-QaARTERS FOURTH DIVISION, FlFTH ARMY CoRPS,

" April 16, 1864.
" Circular.

"The following extract from the report of the inspection made pur-
suant to paragraph 10 of Special Orders No. 78 from these head-quarters
is furnished for the information of the command :

" ' The three regiments in which the arms and equipments were in the
best condition are as follows ;

" ' I. 6th Wisconsin Veteran Volunteers.
" ' 2. 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers.
" ' 3. 147th New York Volunteers.
" 'The percentage in excellence of condition of the arms and equip-
ments is equal.

"'The 6th Wisconsin Veteran Volunteers excelled in neatness of
clothing and appearance.

" ' The three regiments in which the arms and equipments were in the
worst condition are as follows :

" ' I. 95th New York Volunteers.
" ' 2. 24th Michigan Volunteers.
" ' 3. I2ist Pennsylvania Volunteers.
" ' The percentage of excellence of condition of arms and equipments
in the 95th New York Volunteers was the lowest of the above three regi-
ments, but they excelled the others in neatness of clothing and appearance. '
" This circular will be read at the first dress parade after it is received
in each regiment of this division.
" By command of

" Brigadier-General Wadsworth.

" A. W. H. Gill,
" Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-Ge7ierair

1 84 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

On the night of May 3 camp was broken, and soon after
midnight, with the cavalry in the lead, the army started on
the most wearing campaign it had ever undertaken. Grant
was at the front to direct its movements, and officers and men
alike felt that the two great opposing forces were about to enter
upon the home-stretch, with chances in favor of the North,
which could best stand the hard knocks and more readily
fill the gaps necessarily resulting from a long succession of
conflicts.

The 150th left Culpeper shortly before dawn, its strength (as
ascertained from a copy of the last weekly report made by H.
M. Kieffer, hospital steward, just prior to the movement) being
about three hundred and forty-six officers and men. Late in
the forenoon it crossed the Rapidan at Germanna Ford, on a
pontoon bridge over which a good portion of the Fifth Corps
(Warren's) had already passed. The Sixth Corps (Sedgwick's)
followed the Fifth. The latter moved without interruption to
Old Wilderness Tavern, and bivouacked in line, facing west,
with Sedgwick on the right. The Second Corps (Hancock's)
rested at Chancellorsville, having crossed the river at Ely's Ford.

In pursuance of orders from General Grant, Warren, early on
the morning of the 5th, set his corps in motion to take up a
position at Parker's Store, on the Orange plank road. The
150th, under Major Jones, was sent to the front as one of the
regiments of skirmishers, and long before the objective point
was reached, the enemy was encountered and his skirmish line
forced back upon the main body. Wright's division of the
Sixth Corps joined Warren's right, and Getty's division, also of
the Sixth Corps, was ordered to Warren's left. In this forma-
tion a general attack was made, the line extending across both
the Orange plank road and the Orange turnpike, which at this
point were separated by a considerable belt of dense forest, the
same nearly impenetrable screen of woods continuing north
and south of these almost parallel roads. Hancock was in-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLLNTEERS. 1 85

structed to re-enforce Getty, who was somewhat isolated from
Warren, and join in his assault.

Owing to the wilderness-like nature of the ground which was
fought over, it is impossible to give a lucid account of the
various movements, or specify their limits with absolute accu-
racy. It was for the most part a battle of musketry, the artil-
lery finding little opportunity of doing effective work. When
Warren's main line advanced, overtaking and passing the skir-
mishers, Major Jones re-formed a large portion of his command
and moved with the supports, but many of his skirmishers
continued with the attacking force, which pushed back the
opposing lines through the thick woods, amid a din of volleys
and yells that may well be qualified as infej'ual. The rush of
the Union advance soon spent itself, and encountering fresh
bodies of rebel infantry, Warren's exhausted men were com-
pelled to yield ground rapidly, and with more' or less confusion,
until they reached some breastworks which, fortunately, had
been thrown up by the troops in the rear. Here, as related by
Sergeant Ramsey, " a number of the scattered members of the
150th got together, and, in charge of a non-commissioned
officer of the regiment, by order of a staff-officer, took and
held a position in the breastworks until the onset of the rebel
line was checked. They then hunted up and rejoined the regi-
ment, which, with the brigade, was found at a point near the
Lacey House." Stone's command suffered heavily in this
morning engagement, contributing a long list of killed and
wounded to the aggregate of casualties.

Late in the afternoon Wadsworth's division and Baxter's
brigade of Robinson's were ordered to the left to report to
Hancock, whose troops, with Getty's, were in hot conflict with
the enemy at and near the intersection of the Brock and plank
roads. In line of battle facing southward, with a strong force
of skirmishers well in advance, Wadsworth moved in the direc-
tion of the firing; but the almost impenetrable thicket of young

1 86 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

pines impeded his progress to such an extent that night over-
took him before he succeeded in striking Hill's left flank or
connecting with Hancock. Stine, in his " History of the Army
of the Potomac," says, " General Wadsworth's orders were to
proceed quietly. The conflict with the Confederate pickets,
and Colonel Roy Stone's enthusiasm, made it [presumably the
forcst\ a howling wilderness."

The firing in Hancock's front having ceased, and the dark-
ness making it impossible longer to preserve an alignment,
Wadsworth, in uncertainty as to his bearings, prudently halted
his troops, who rested on their arms in line of battle.

Grant, in his Memoirs, states that Hancock was to make an
assault on the morning of May 6, at five o'clock, and that
Wadsworth, who lay to Hancock's right, almost perpendicular
to Hill's line, was to move at the. same time and attack Hill's
left. Wadsworth advanced at half-past five, and was soon in
touch with the Second Corps, which was pushing to the attack.
The troops of Birney, who commanded the right wing of Han-
cock's force, extended across the Orange plank road at the
outset, but they were gradually crowded to the left as the move-
ment progressed, and a portion of Wadsworth's command, in-
cluding the 150th, presently found itself on the left of the
road, and so continued during the morning. Hill was pressed
back rapidly a mile or more, but not without severe fighting,
in which the Union arms received many momentary checks.
Some confusion prevailed in both Hancock's and Wadsworth's
ranks, owing to the nature of the field, and regiments and
brigades became more or less intermingled ; but the men
responded with alacrity to every order to stand or advance,
and up to about seven o'clock no rearward step was taken.
At the farthest point reached by the 150th, Sergeant Ramsey
received a severe wound, which resulted in the loss of a leg,
and for a time he lay between the contending lines. Before
the hour named, Longstreet's troops had begun to arrive, and

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 8/

the presence of Field's and Kershaw's divisions was speedily
felt. As stated by General Humphreys, Meade's chief of staff,
" It was when Hancock's troops were partially checked by the
fresh troops of Longstreet's corps that the necessity of read-
justing his formation became imperative. Regiments were
separated from their brigades and mixed with others, and the
line of battle was very irregular, and commanders were in this
way losing the control of their troops."

Such readjustment was effected as circumstances would per-
mit, the left of Birney's line, which had outstripped the centre,
being drawn back some distance ; but little headway was made
after Longstreet's troops and Anderson's division of Hill's
corps became factors in the engagement. In the varying for-
tunes of the morning, the 150th clung to the plank road and
its immediate vicinity, charging time and again in the face of a
destructive fire, and losing many men. On several occasions,
as related by Major Jones and others. General Wadsworth, who
was always at the front, called out in his paternal way, " Come
on, Bucktails !" and led the little regiment in person against the
enemy.

Between nine and ten o'clock the Iron Brigade, commanded
by General Cutler, and a portion of Roy Stone's command, were
borne backward in some disorder, but other troops were thrown
into the gap as speedily as possible, re-forming the line, but not
without loss of ground. An hour or two later a successful
flank movement, executed by portions of Longstreet's and
Hill's commands, overcame the left of Hancock's line, com-
pelling it to retreat; and at the same time a violent attack by
fresh masses in front involved the centre and right in a similar
misfortune, the entire line being swept back towards the breast-
works held in the morning. Wadsworth, who had previously
had two horses killed under him, in his efforts to rally his men
and hold his position, was now mortally wounded, a ball pass-
ing through his head, and fell into the hands of the enemy.

1 88 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

He was on the plank road at the time, leading his horse, having
been persuaded to dismount by some of his officers, who remon-
strated with him upon the folly of needlessly exposing himself
to the fire of sharp-shooters. Upon this point the testimony
of a number of officers and men of the 150th, who were near
him when he was struck by the fatal bullet, is conclusive,
although most of the published accounts of the battle repre-
sent the gray-headed hero as shot from his horse. Major
Jones made a gallant effort to recover his body, but the enemy
in vastly superior force pressed forward too rapidly to permit
of success.

The division fell back to the Brock (or " mud") road at its
intersection with the plank road, where a line of defences had
been thrown up the previous evening. This fortified position
was held tenaciously until the middle of the afternoon, when
Longstreet's troops, by a heavy attack, succeeded in effecting a
lodgement in a part of the works. Meanwhile, Lieutenant-
Colonel Osborne, division inspector, had got together the rem-
nants of Colonel Roy Stone's brigade, with the brigade and
the several regimental colors still safe, and, leading them into
the woods a few yards from the plank road, re-formed their line
and instructed them to refresh themselves with coffee and such
other supplies as their haversacks contained. Colonel Hoff-
man, of the 56th Pennsylvania, re-formed Rice's brigade of
Robinson's division near the same spot. Colonel Stone had
been disabled in the engagement of the morning by a fall from
his horse, compelling him to retire, and at Osborne's sugges-
tion, Lieutenant-Colonel Irvin, of the 149th Pennsylvania, as-
sumed command of his brigade. About four o'clock, soon
after Longstreet had won a portion of the fortified line near
the intersection of the two roads. General Hancock, accom-
panied by one of his aides. Captain Wilson, came riding through
the woods, and finding Irvin's and Hoffman's men in good
shape, called out sharply, " What troops are those?" Receiving

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 89

a prompt response, he said, "Just what I want," and immedi-
ately gave orders to the two brigades to charge and retake the
lost works. Instantly the lines were formed, and, advancing
swiftly, rushed upon the intrenchments, which, after a brief but
bloody encounter, were freed from the clutch of the enemy,
who was pursued far beyond into the woods.

Strangely enough. General Hancock, in his official report of
the battle, gives the credit of this gallant achievement to Car-
roll's brigade, of his own corps, which had nothing whatever
to do with it ; and General Grant, in his " Personal Memoirs,"
and General Humphreys, in " The Virginia Campaign of '64
and '65," naturally perpetuate the error. General Hancock, to
whose attention the matter was brought by General Hoffman
and others, admitted that he had been guilty of an inadvertence,
and promised to straighten the record, but passed away with-
out doing so.

Among those who lost their lives in this brilliant and suc-
cessful charge was Captain Horatio Bell, of Company G, who
was one of the first to mount the works, and with the rifle
which was his constant companion in the field, gave proofs of
superior marksmanship. Though comparatively devoid of edu-
cation, and as little versed in the niceties of the tactics as in the
processes of the higher mathematics, he possessed great natural
ability, was accomplished in woodcraft, and with an absolute
devotion to the cause of the Union united a degree of physical
courage that was equal to any test. He died lamented not only
by his own company, but by the entire regiment and by many
outside of the command, who recognized his zeal, his valor,
and his rugged honesty.

Soon after the recapture of the breastworks the brigade was
relieved and led to the rear, where it was permitted to rest that
night and the following day, though a large detail was sent to
the front, beyond the works, for picket duty. Major Jones,
who was in charge of the pickets that night, relates that soon

1 90 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

after the men were posted one of the line-officers * came to him
in the twihght and reported a regiment of federal troops as
located a short distance in his front. The major, mystified by
this intelligence, and deeming the matter worthy of investiga-
tion, accompanied his informant to the spot indicated, and
there, true enough, found a line of men in blue, but all silent
in death ! Proceeding a little farther to the front, he discovered
a similar line in gray, — mute witnesses to the desperate nature
of the morning's struggle.

The battle of the Wilderness was over, and neither side could
claim any decided advantage. Both armies were much ex-
hausted, for every portion of the two lines had been warmly
engaged at one time or another, and at times the contest raged
along the entire front. The noise of the musketry, multiplied
and re-echoed by the thick woods, was often frightful, and
many a stout heart which had passed unshrinkingly through
the dangers of well-fought fields quailed before the leaden
blast which cut and stripped the young pines as if a cyclone
had swept over them. To add to the horrors of the strife,
the underbrush took fire at many points in the wooded belt
which formed the principal scene of the protracted struggle,
and a large area, in which lay many dead and helpless
wounded, was ravaged by the flames. Even the breastworks
were in places invaded by this new enemy, and the smoke
from the muskets of the contending infantry mingled with
the hotter smoke of burning timber. It was a fearful experi-
ence, which those who shared it will remember to their dying
day.

From copies of his weekly reports, kindly furnished by Hos-
pital Steward Kieffer, the mean strength of the regiment is
ascertained for each week to November 19, 1864. From that
of May 7 the following figures are taken :

* Captain Rorer.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. I9I

Mean strength of regiment 276

Taken sick 6

Wounded ......... 74

Died of wounds 2

As the mean strength of the regiment a week before was
three hundred and forty-six, the deduction of eighty-two "sick,"
"wounded," and "died" would leave only two hundred and
sixty-four for duty. The discrepancy is owing to the return
of convalescents from the hospitals.

The field hospitals took no note of the killed, but from Bates's
" History" and other sources is derived the following list of
those who were killed or died soon after of their wounds :

Company A.
Corporal Samuel J. White, killed May 6.
Private Michael Sheehan, killed May 6 2

Company B.
Corporal James McCann, killed May 5.
Corporal Jonathan Wood, killed May 5 2

Company D.
Captain Roland Stoughton, wounded May 5 ; died May 27.
Private James Lucas, wounded May 6; died same day. . 2

Company E.
Private Timothy Hefferman, killed May 5.
Private William Meyers, killed May 5 2

Company F.
Private David T. Jenkins, mortally wounded May 6. . i

Company G.
Captain Horatio Bell, killed May 6.
Private Luther Adams, mortally wounded ; died May 20.
Private Delos Otto, killed May 5.
Private Charles B. Slocum, mortally wounded May 5;

died May 6 4

192 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Company H.

Private David Brines, killed May 6.
Private James M. Close, killed May 6.
Private Sansom Smith, killed May 6.
Private Silas Smith, killed May 5.

Private Andrew J. Work, mortally wounded May 5 ; died
May 16. .........

Company I.

Private Alexander Curry, killed May 5.

Private Cyrus J. Lane, killed May 5.

Private Henry B. Lathrop, mortally wounded ; died

May 10.
Private Christian H. Rouss, killed May 5. ...

Total

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. iq.

CHAPTER XX.

LAUREL HILL SPOTTSYLVANIA.

On the 7th of May reconnoissances revealed the fact that
Lee, in spite of the success which he claimed in the two days'
fighting, had withdrawn his troops to fortified lines a mile and
a half from the Union front, doubtless in the hope of receiving
an attack where he would have all the advantage of position.
In Grant's opinion, however, the rebel army was preparing to
retire rapidly on Richmond for the purpose of crushing Butler,
who had established himself on the James River at City Point.
General Grant accordingly gave orders for a flank movement
that night to Spottsylvania Court-House. His able antagonist,
flattering himself that he had so seriously crippled the federal
forces that they would in all probability fall back on Fredericks-
burg, ordered Anderson, who succeeded to the command of
Longstreet's corps after the wounding of that general, to march
rapidly to Spottsylvania on the morning of the 8th, with in-
structions to strike Grant's flank, if his supposition proved cor-
rect. Thus each of these great leaders was in error as to the
real condition and intentions of the other,— a state of things
not uncommon in the course of the war.

On account of the forest fires, Anderson started on the even-
ing of the 7th, and was in a fortified position ready to engage
Warren when the head of the latter's column, leading the
Union advance, reached his front at dawn of the 8th. Warren
attacked, supposing— as intimated by General Grant— that he
had to do with a force of the enemy's cavalry. Naturally his
assault failed. A second effort was more successful. " This

194 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

time," says General Grant, " he succeeded in gaining a position
immediately in the enemy's front, where he intrenched. His
right and left divisions — the former Crawford's, the latter Wads-
worth's, now commanded by Cutler — drove the enemy back
some distance."

Bates, in his brief history of the 150th, preceding its muster-
roll, says, " On the morning of the 8th the brigade again
charged the enemy at Laurel Hill, driving him into his works,
and establishing a line of defence under severe fire."

It may be well to state that while the fighting in the neigh-
borhood of Spottsylvania Court-House, which lasted several
days, is known by the general name of the " Battle of Spott-
sylvania," the actions of the Fifth Corps on the 8th and 9th of
May are better known to the troops of that corps as the " Battle
of Laurel Hill."

"At two P.M. of the 9th," continues Bates, "a charge was
made by the entire division [Cutler's] upon the enemy's in-
trenched line. The woods through which the charge was
made had been fired, and the men were subjected to the double
torment of the blazing fagots and the enemy's missiles. The
assault was fruitless, and many of the dying were left to perish
in the flames."

Sergeant James H. Moore, of Company B, had charge of the
colors of the regiment from the time of leaving Culpeper, and
bore them through the exhausting struggles of the Wilderness
and in the first day's encounters at Laurel Hill with commend-
able gallantry. In the engagement of the 8th he received two
disabling wounds, and was succeeded as color-bearer by Ser-
geant Henry Wendler, of Company E, nicknamed the " Little
Dutchman." The latter, in the several charges at Laurel Hill
and Spottsylvania, greatly distinguished himself by his personal
daring, drawing upon himself the favorable notice not only of
his own regimental chief, but also of officers of other com-
mands. On one occasion the colonel of a New York regiment,

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 95

■which fought on the right of the 150th, called the attention of
his color-sergeant to the admirable conduct of the Bucktail
standard-bearer, and urged him to imitate his example ; but he
only elicited the reply, " The d — d fool doesn't know any
better !"

During the forenoon of the loth the ground in front of the
several corps was thoroughly reconnoitred, and about four
o'clock P.M. a general assault was ordered, in which the 150th
participated. Warren's troops, in advancing, were obliged to
traverse a ravine thickly covered with heavy timber on the
sides, and with a tangle of underbrush at the bottom which
proved well-nigh impenetrable. Necessarily the ranks were
much disordered in forcing their way through. To mount the
farther slope through the dense forest and dislodge an enemy
numerous and well posted, with protecting breastworks, was no
holiday task. The attack failed, as might have been foreseen,
and Warren recoiled with heavy loss. Still later, another as-
sault was made, Hancock uniting his forces with Wright's and
Warren's, for the purpose of relieving Upton, who in the pre-
vious advance had gained a foothold on the enemy's line and
clung tenaciously to it; and such was the impetuosity of the
movement that portions of the works were speedily carried,
though a counter-pressure on the part of the enemy as speedily
compelled their abandonment. Upton, however, was freed from
his isolated position, and the retiring troops were not pursued.

Soon after the charge, Major Jones, who had been sitting on
the ground with his back resting against a sapling, rose to his
feet just as Captain Sigler approached, when the latter re-
marked, " That's a good place," and seated himself on the same
spot. The next instant a ricocheting solid shot struck the cap-
tain on the elbow, injuring him severely and relegating him to
the hospital for a long term of treatment.

On the 1 2th, when Hancock's successful attack on the salient
(known as the " Bloody Angle") took place, in which Johnson's

196 ONE HLNDRED AND FIFTIETH

rebel division was captured, both Wright and Warren joined
in the movement, the latter without result. In his official re-
port Warren says, " I also again assailed the enemy's intrench-
ments, suffering heavy loss, but failed to get in. The enemy's
direct and flank fire was too destructive. Lost very heavily.
The enemy continuing to fire on the Second and Sixth Corps,
I was compelled to withdraw Griffin's and Cutler's divisions
and send them to the left to their support, where they again
became engaged."

Bates makes no note of Warren's futile attack, but remarks,
" On the 1 2th of May the brigade moved to the support of the
Sixth Corps, in front of that part of the enemy's line known as
the ' Bloody Angle,' and lay at the front, exposed to a severe
fire, until the morning of the 13th, when, the enemy having
retired, it returned ^o its former position."

Major Jones relates that, while the regiment lay in front of
the salient that night, the officers kept guard, as did those of
the entire brigade, in order to give the men a little rest. The
musketry fire continued intermittently throughout the night,
the balls flying over the sleeping forms of the men, but one of
whom was killed, though several received injuries.

Before quitting the position the major was invited by Lieu-
tenant Rorer, of Company B, to look upon a spectacle so weird
and startling that, by his own confession, nothing in his whole
experience as a soldier could approach it in impressiveness and
ghastliness of detail. Not far from the point in the angle where
the enemy made his most persistent efforts to undo the hold of
the Union troops on his works, and where a tree nearly a foot
and a half in diameter had been cut down by musket-balls,
.stood a caisson of a Sixth Corps battery, facing the fortifica-
tions, and perhaps not more than a hundred yards away, with
its six horses still attached, but sunk to the earth, dead ; the
three drivers still in the saddle, likewise lifeless ; while on the
boxes rested six cannoneers, back to back, perforated with bul-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 97

lets, their inanimate bodies supporting one another almost in
the attitude of duty. So natural was the position and appear-
ance of these latter that the major could convince himself that
they were not alive only by reaching up and touching them.

Nothing could give a more realizing idea of the terrible storm
of lead which swept this portion of the field than this statuesque
group of the slain, and nothing more truly symbolize the per-
fection of discipline which prevailed in the artillery arm of the
service. It is unnecessary to ask by what adventure, or mis-
adventure, they came to be exposed to the sudden whirlwind
of rebel volleys : it was one of the accidents of war, met with
sublime courage, every man dying at his post.

From the 5th of May the fighting had been almost con-
tinuous and of the most desperate character, and many officers
as well as men, unequal to the long physical strain, from time
to time gave evidence of demoralization, dropping back from
their commands as opportunity offered, and trying by various
pretexts to get into the hospitals. These were relentlessly
gathered up by the provost guard, and returned to their regi-
ments to be dealt with as their commanders might deem best
for the service. The discipline and standing of the 150th are
brought into high relief by the fact that several line-officers
from other organizations, whose valor had been badly shaken
by repeated conflicts, were sent, stripped of the insignia of their
rank, by sentence of drum-head court-martial, and provided
with the arms and accoutrements of private soldiers, to share
the fortunes of the regiment and redeem, if possible, their
clouded reputations. Major Jones was quietly instructed to
keep them in the " fore-front of battle" and maintain a close
watch upon their conduct, as upon his report, after a giv^en time,
would depend their dismissal from the army or their restoration
to their former places. This unique squad joined the 150th on
the 13th of May, and was known as "Company Q." It is a
pleasure to state that in subsequent engagements all of these

198 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

delinquents acquitted themselves so creditably that they were
eventually permitted to return to their old commands.

On the night of May 13 the Fifth and Sixth Corps, Warren
leading, moved to the extreme left and crossed the river Ny,
encountering many difficulties owing to the intense darkness
and almost impassable condition of the roads. On the morn-
ing of the 14th, Wright's troops had severe fighting in working
up into position on Burnside's left. Lee changed his lines so
as to confront Warren and Wright, and Hancock, having no
longer an enemy facing him, moved in rear of the centre of the
new line. At dawn of the iSth, Hancock and Wright, who in
the night had returned to their old positions on Burnside's
right, attacked Lee's left flank in the hope of dislodging it; but
Lee seems to have anticipated the undertaking, and they en-
countered the enemy in such strength that the assault failed.
This practically ended operations at Spottsylvania.

The Union army, although in no large measure successful,
was everywhere the aggressor, and Lee stood strictly on the de-
fensive. This in itself was a great gain to Grant's forces, filling
them with a confidence which never afterwards deserted them,
and which was sure to culminate some day in victory.

Again referring to Hospital Steward Kieffer's invaluable
weekly reports, it will be seen that the 150th shared in the
hardest of the fighting from the 8th to the 14th of May, and
took credit on the rolls for a long list of casualties. On the lat-
ter date the mean strength of the regiment, which one week before
was two hundred and seventy-six, had been reduced to ninety-
three. As only an insignificant number had been " laid off" by
sickness, and comparatively few fell into the hands of the enemy,
death and wounds were the main factors in this notable reduction.

Colonel Fox, in " Regimental Losses," fixes the number of
the killed and mortally wounded of the 150th, in this period of
six days, at fifteen, — viz., on May 8, five; on the loth, six; on
the 1 2th, four. These figures are doubtless correct.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 1 99

The following is the list of the killed and mortally wounded,
so far as the writer has been able to ascertain the names : •

Company A.
Sergeant Edward Austin, May 8.
Sergeant Gabriel Thompson, May 10; died May 18.
Private Joseph Fowler, May 10.

Company B.
Private Jacob M. Wartenby, May 8; died May 13.

Cotnpany D.
Corporal William Donachy, May 8.

Cotnpany E.
Corporal Isaac Doan, May 12.

Company F.
Private William A. Garrett, May 10.

Company G.
Private Luther M. Adams, May 10; died May 20.
Private Philetus Southwick, May 10.

Cotnpany H.
Private John Bickerstaff, May 12 ; died May 13.
Private Harlan P. Fields, May 8.
Private Andrew Lee, May 12.

Company I.
Private Alexander McFarland, May 8.

No tribute could be paid to the courage and worth of all
these men in excess of their real deserts. Of Sergeant Austin
it may be said that, by his intelligence and solid, soldierly vir-
tues, he had not only won the esteem of his immediate officers,
but had attracted the attention of the regimental commander.
Had he lived, he was in a fair way to win a commission before
the close of hostilities, and the honor would have been well
bestowed.

200 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Corporal Donachy, who in the field, as at home, bore the
nickname " Pointer," was as unselfish, patriotic, and brave a
soldier as could be found in the Army of the Potomac. When,
on the night of the arrival of the regiment at Chancellorsville,
volunteers were called for to go on picket, with the almost ab-
solute certainty of being fired upon before the line could be
reached, he was the first man to respond ; and whenever any
particularly dangerous duty offered, none so ready to undertake
it as Corporal Donachy.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 20I

CHAPTER XXI.

THE AFFAIR AT THE NORTH ANNA — TOTOPOTOMOY.

Finding Lee indisposed to come out of his works and take
the chances of a general engagement, General Grant resolved
upon a further left-flank movement, in which Hancock took the
lead on the night of the 20th. On the 21st, Warren's corps
marched to Guiney's Station, and on the 22d to Harris's Store,
west of Milford, at which latter point Hancock rested that day.
On the morning of the 23d, Warren moved in the direction of
Jericho Ford, on the North Anna, which he reached early in
the afternoon. Griffin's division crossed first, wading the
stream and deploying beyond. Cutler's division followed,
forming on Griffin's right, the Iron Brigade connecting with
the latter, with the Bucktail Brigade (commanded by Colonel
Bragg since May 7) on the extreme right. Crawford's division
took position on Griffin's left.

Of this movement Adjutant William Wright, of the 150th,
says, " We crossed the North Anna in the advance of the Fifth
Corps, on the extreme right of the line, so far as I know.
There was no opposition, but we expected it, and therefore
passed over in a great hurry. Having been out on the flank
all of the preceding day, as skirmishers, and having made a
very hard march that day, the men were bent with fatigue, and
some who had never before complained now declared they could
not go any farther. All the same, they went. We crossed at
or near a mill, or mills, of some kind, one of which was un-
doubtedly a saw-mill, for tliere were piles of slabs and some
shedding roofed with slabs, all of which were taken and thrown

202 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

into the river, one on top of another, until they formed a bridge,
which we quickly crossed. The river was not wide, and com-
paratively shallow. We then deployed and advanced a short
distance, but were halted for a brief interval, when we again
moved forward perhaps six or seven hundred yards. Here we
were again halted, apparently to go into camp for the night,
probably in pursuance of an order originating in the brain of some
very tired man, for we had hardly got settled down — some with
dry wood on their shoulders for a quick fire, others with live
chickens, etc., the spoils of the flanking of the day before (I
well remember one fine-looking rooster that the major and I
were promised a part of for supper) — when we had an order to
deploy and advance to the woods in our front, which we obeyed
with much complaining. Before reaching the woods I dis-
mounted and gave my horse to 'Jimmy' Wilson, of Company
B, — who was fairly staggering in his efforts to keep up, — to
take to the rear, thinking that as soon as we got into the woods
we would find the ' rebs,' as we generally did in all the woods
we had been in since leaving Culpeper."

Here the adjutant's narrative must be interrupted and supple-
mented by a few items of information from other sources, as he
omits to say exactly what occurred on reaching the timber,
which, as he suspected, was alive with rebels.

Wilcox's division of four brigades was there, with Heth's
division in support, and, having failed to break Griffin's well-
posted line, moved to the right and furiously assaulted the Iron
Brigade, which was just going into position. Taken unawares,
and unable to withstand the shock, the Iron Brigade fell back
pell-mell towards the river, and the heavy columns of the
enemy were precipitated upon the Bucktail Brigade, a great
portion of which also gave way and joined in the disorderly
retreat. Many of these troops never stopped their flight until
they had crossed the improvised bridge or floundered through
the stream, although Stine states that the Iron Brigade re-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 203

formed in rear of Captain Mink's battery (H, New York
Light Artillery). The 150th did better, and made for itself an
enviable name that evening. Although borne back from the
woods by the sudden retrograde movement of the rest of
Cutler's line, it did not share in the panic, but soon made a
determined stand, inflicting severe loss upon the advancing
enemy. Then, seeing his little force flanked on either hand,
Major Jones gave the command to retreat. Sergeant Beers, of
Company G, who had charge of the colors, brought them to
the adjutant, saying that he was entirely "played out," and
feared he could not take care of them.

To resume the adjutant's narrative : " There was no one near
enough to give the colors to, and, as no time was to be lost, I
took them rapidly to the rear, and had them when I crossed a
wide gully which my horse had refused to jump on the way out,
but which I had no trouble in clearing easily on the return. I
may have given them to some one before Major Jones called for
them, a moment later, as we approached Captain Mink's New
York battery. The major planted the colors and formed the
regiment, and at the same time told Captain Mink to get his bat-
tery to work, as we had come to stay. In an instant the regiment
and battery were at work, and the rebel advance was checked.
At least three or four times they charged, but we drove them
back every time. It was hot work on a hot day, and some of the
battery men gave out and were replaced by some of our men,
or perhaps it was the ruts produced by the recoil of the guns
that made the pieces so hard to handle that the cannoneers re-
quired assistance. With the exception of a single color-bearer
of the Iron Brigade, carrying an Indiana, Wisconsin, or Michi-
gan State flag (it was not the stars and stripes), and about fifteen
or twenty men of the 121st Pennsylvania, no troops were there
but the 1 50th. I looked anxiously for assistance-in the shape of
re-enforcements, but saw none except a battery of artillery, which
took position on the other side of the river, some distance to our

204 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

right, and may have fired a round or two during the enemy's last
charge. After the battle was over a large regiment — I think,
heavy artillery — formed and lay down in our immediate rear.
During the fight there was absolutely no one other than Mink's
battery and ourselves, except those already mentioned, who took
any part; not even a staff-officer of either division or brigade.

"Just after the heavy artillery regiment moved in behind us,
General Cutler, with a part of his staff, rode up to us and com-
plimented us highly, extending the compliment, however, to
the brigade."

The conduct of the regiment on this occasion won Captain
Mink's undying gratitude, and availed to settle a brigadier-
general's stars upon Colonel Bragg's deserving shoulders.

A special order warmly commending the 150th was issued
(Adjutant Wright thinks) by General Warren; at all events,
such an order came down to the regiment from either corps or
division head-quarters, and it is to be deplored that a copy of
it, which was long treasured by Major Jones as one of his
choicest possessions, was in some manner lost or destroyed.

The pleasant features of the engagement at the North Anna
are marred by the recollection of the death of Sergeant Cyrus
W. Baldwin, of Company G, a most intelligent, conscientious,
and exemplary soldier, who was already " gazetted" for a lieu-
tenancy; the mortal wounding of Private- William Gray, of
Company B, who died two days later ; and the more or less
serious disablement of many valuable men.

By the return of convalescents from the hospitals and the
restoration to duty of the slightly wounded in the Wilderness
battles the strength of the command had been increased from
ninety- three, on May 14, to one hundred and forty-eight, on
May 21. A week later the number had been reduced to one
hundred and twenty-two, chiefly by the losses at the North Anna.

Major Jones relates that before advancing to the woods, ex-
pecting to bivouac where they were, the men busied themselves

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 205

with preparations for supper. His own man, " Rody," who has
so frequently appeared in these pages, had boiled a pot of coffee,
which he gathered up and carried with him when the order to
advance was executed, thinking, as no enemy had yet appeared,
that the troops would soon stop for the night, and the major
would then have his coffee. When the enemy opened fire, one
of the first bullets penetrated the coffee-pot in " Rody's" hands,
and the fluid, which was still at the boiling-point, spurting
against one of his legs, he was convinced that he was wounded,
and, dropping the disabled vessel, struck madly for the rear.
After fording the stream and discovering that not only was the
enemy not in pursuit, but that his limbs were still in good, ser-
viceable condition, he found his way back to the regiment. In
narrating his experience to the major, he was honest enough to
state that he had splashed through the river.

" But why did you wade when you might have gone across
on the bridge ?" asked the major.

" You see, the bridge was too darned full of officers and
doctors," was his prompt and amusing reply.

On the 24th, Wright's corps crossed at Jericho and took
position on the right of Warren. Hancock crossed the same
morning, a little we'^t of the Fredericksburg Railroad ; while
Burnside remained on the north side of the river, being con-
fronted by Lee, in force, at Ox Ford, Lee's army formed an
angle whose point rested on the stream opposite Burnside, with
its sides sloping south-east and south-west. Hancock, with
his own corps and Potter's division of the Ninth, faced the
enemy's south-eastern line ; while Wright and Warren, with
Crittenden's division of the Ninth Corps added, faced the line
extending to the south-west. This left Burnside, with a single
division, north of the stream.

This was probably the most ticklish position ever occupied
by the Army of the Potomac, and the wonder is that Lee —
seeing that his antagonist could not strengthen either flank

2o6 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

without entailing on the re-enforcing column a march of many
miles, in which the river would have to be twice crossed — did
not attack one or the other wing and sweep it from the field.
General Grant, recognizing the perilous situation of his forces,
and the doubtful issue of any attack which he might order,
after straddling the North Anna for two days like a pair of tongs,
concluded to withdraw to the north side, and again endeavor to
interpose his army between Richmond and Lee by a rapid move-
ment by the left flank. Beginning with the extreme right, he re-
tired the corps of Warren and Wright, masking the withdrawal
by a brilliant diversion at that end of the line by Wilson's divi-
sion of cavalry, which gave the rebel commander the impression
that a serious effort was about to be made to turn his left.

This was on the 26th. On that day. Sergeant Henry Laut
and Privates John Houseman, Frank H. Elvidge, and Israel H.
Thomas, of Company A, together with others of the regiment
who had been captured at Gettysburg and had passed a long
term of imprisonment on Bell Island, returned to the command,
having come through by way of Fredericksburg as part of a
provisional battalion composed of exchanged prisoners, con-
valescents, and re-enlisted veterans.

It is whispered as a part of the secret 'history of the cam-
paign of 1864, by officers who were on Meade's staff or at his
head-quarters, that General Grant was solely responsible for the
movement on the North Anna, which might easily have resulted
in disaster to the national arms. The story goes that the gen-
eral, in an interview with Meade soon after the events of Spott-
sylvania, expressed dissatisfaction at the failure of his troops to
break Lee's lines, and made invidious comparisons between the
Eastern army and his Western command, which latter seldom
failed to execute his plans successfully in spite of every ob-
stacle. Meade, piqued by his superior's words and manner,
replied, " Well, general, in the next movement I would like
you to take the command and control the disposition and

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 20/

assaults of the troops." General Grant took him at his word,
and during the first operations at the North Anna, Meade and
his staff enjoyed a holiday, broken on the second day by an
urgent request fi'om Grant to his subordinate to resume his
usual functions. The tale is given for what it is worth, with
the single comment that it is based on the statements of officers
still living, who were a part of Meade's staff at the time, and
whose word in other matters is unquestioned.

Frank H. Elvidge, of Company A, had the commendable
habit of noting in a pocket diary, from day to day, the move-
ments of the regiment, and occasionally his individual views of
things. On May 26 he wrote, " Reached our regiment after a
very fatiguing march. Found seven men in the company, with
a corporal in command. Now there are ten, with Laut in
charge. Started out just after dark and marched until about
half-past two o'clock, when we reached Hanover Junction.
Drew rations for three days. It is very hard marching, being
so muddy. Army in good spirits and everything going on right.
" May 27. — Pulled out at daybreak. Recrossed the North
Anna (going south) and came around the ' rebs' ' right flank,
making a very large circuit. The Sixth Corps started yester-
day. Foraging plenty, but it has been a very hard march, with
no rest. Made about twenty-seven miles. The rebels have
fallen back from Hanover Junction.

" May 28. — Crossed the Pamunkey River about noon to-day
(Saturday) and entered the ' Peninsula.' Marched a few miles
from the river, threw up rifle-pits, and put up for the rest of the day.
" May 2g. — Moved out about a mile and a half, and took up
another position. Grant is moving on slowly, intrenching as
he goes. Ran out of rations altogether, and had to go back a
mile and a half for beef, which is all we got. Our regiment
and the I42d went out on picket. Heavy firing all along the
line. All of Lee's army is in front of us now. Within about
sixteen miles of Richmond.

208 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

" May JO. — Relieved by the First Division, Ninth Corps, and
moved our h'ne out about a mile. The rebels, in heavy force,
charged the works of the Pennsylvania Reserve, but were cut
up terribly and ran back a mile and a half The artillery did
the worst work, scattering them in every direction. We were
kept moving up and down the road half a dozen times, when
we took position and threw up intrenchments. Drew three
days' rations. Grantz came back yesterday, making eleven
men (in Company A)."

The engagement referred to as having taken place on the
30th was that of Bethesda Church, being a part of the battle of
Totopotomoy, in which Hancock's and Warren's troops were
chiefly concerned. Hancock struck the enemy at Totopotomoy
Creek, and Warren, who was on the Shady Grove Church road,
near Huntley Corners, was attacked by Early, with the result
that one brigade of the Pennsylvania Reserve was temporarily
thrown into confusion. To relieve the pressure on Warren,
Hancock assaulted and carried the rebel breastworks, and,
Warren pushing forward at the same time, Early was driven
back a mile or more with heavy loss.

This was the last fight in which the Pennsylvania Reserve
participated, its term of enlistment expiring that day. On the
following day the division started for home. Without special
orders or previous understanding, the other troops of the corps
fell into line and presented arms as these veterans of many
campaigns, full of scars and honors, marched past ; and as the
notes of " Home Again," from the band of the Reserve, rang
in their ears, the cheeks of hundreds of veterans who remained
were moistened by tears of which they had no reason to be
ashamed.

On the 31st, Elvidge pencilled in his diary, "One rebel
major-general and one colonel commanding brigade were
killed. Buried all the dead, — that is, the pieces, for they ivere
all blown to atoms by canister T

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 209

CHAPTER XXII.

FROM COLD HARBOR TO PETERSBURG.

On the 30th and 31st of May, Grant's army extended from the
Shady Grove Church road, on which Warren's left rested, about
three miles south of Totopotomoy Creek, in the direction of
Hanover Court-House, to a point about six miles south-east of
that place. Wright's corps occupied the extreme right, with
Hancock next, and Burnside reaching to Warren's right. Sheri-
dan guarded the Union left with two divisions of cavalry, and
Wilson's cavalry division hovered about the right flank.

On the 31st, Sheridan took and held Cold Harbor, Wright's
corps, which had been withdrawn by way of the rear of the
army, joining him on the ist of June, making the position
secure. In the afternoon, Smith's corps (the Eighteenth), of
Butler's command, arrived from White House and took posi-
tion on the right of the Sixth (Wright's). On the same day,
Lee, having become aware of the withdrawal of the Sixth
Corps, began at an early hour to make new dispositions, and
Anderson's command was discovered skirting the front of
Warren, who was ordered to attack. Warren's troops ad-
vanced,— Elvidge says " about half a mile," — but, with the ex-
ception of considerable artillery firing on both sides, there was
no serious engagement. The batteries knew little rest all day,
and the enemy's shells did a good deal of damage. Sergeants
Henry B. Evans and J. H, Clevenstine, of Company F, were
both mortally wounded, the former dying two days later (June
3, — Elvidge says June 2) and the latter on the 12th of the
month. Others who were wounded were Sergeant Charles T.

2IO ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Street, of F, and Private James Knittle, of D, the latter losing
a leg.

The Sixth and Eighteenth Corps advanced to the assault of
the lines in their front, at Cold Harbor, about an hour before
sunset, and captured and held the first line of the enemy's rifle-
pits. " While this was going on," says General Grant, " the
enemy charged Warren three separate times with vigor, but was
repulsed each time with loss. . . . There was also an attack
upon Hancock's and Burnside's corps at the same time, but it
was feeble, and probably only intended to relieve Anderson,
who was being pressed by Wright and Smith."

Elvidge makes no mention in his diary of the charges on
Warren's front, but says, " Under cover of the night, advanced
the line again about three hundred yards. Busy all night, work-
ing at the breastworks. Exact loss in the brigade not known."

On the 2d, Hancock's corps moved to the left of Wright, and
Warren's line was extended to the left to connect with Smith.
This change probably did not affect the position of the 150th,
as, after stating that " heavy fighting still continues, carried on
mostly by artillery, although we are troubled a great deal by
rebel sharp-shooters," Elvidge closes his notes for the day by
saying, " Rained all night. Strengthened our works."

Early on the following morning the Second, Sixth, and Eigh-
teenth Corps moved against the enemy, gaining his outer de-
fences in places, in others meeting with a disastrous rebuff,
though the end of the principal action, which lasted perhaps
two hours, saw the Union lines considerably advanced. As
Lee's army had the advantage of position, and was for the most
part sheltered by woods and abundant rifle-pits, its losses were
vastly lighter than those suffered by Grant's forces, which, in
the brief space named, aggregated many thousands. Warren's
and Burnside's corps, forming the right of the line, were at no
time seriously engaged, though they also pressed forward some
distance and protected themselves by breastworks.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 211

General Grant, with his characteristic frankness, admits that
this assault was without sufficient compensation, but shrewdly
adds that " the enemy was not cheered by the occurrence suf-
ficiently to induce him to take the offensive."

On the same day the 4th Delaware was added to Bragg's
brigade, making six regiments, the others being the 12 1st, I42d,
143d, 149th, and 150th Pennsylvania.

Skirmishing and heavy artillery firing continued throughout
the day and evening, but the positions of the two armies re-
mained unchanged.

A movement to and across the James River having been
decided upon, new dispositions of some of the corps were made
on the 4th and 5th, Burnside going into line between Warren
and Smith, and Hancock extending his left to the Chickahominy.
At eleven o'clock on the night of the 5th, Warren withdrew and
started for Cold Harbor, arriving there on the morning of the
6th, and resting that day. Bragg's command was transferred
to the First Division, Fifth Corps, becoming the First Brigade,
and the 187th Pennsylvania, a large new regiment, was substi-
tuted for the 4th Delaware. This brigade was thenceforth
known as the " Keystone," Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain, of
the 20th Maine, succeeding Bragg in the command.

On the 7th the brigade was located about a mile from the
Chickahominy and about five miles from Bottom's Bridge, and
for the next two days the 150th performed picket duty along
the sluggish stream. On the opposite bank was the 24th
Georgia, between whose men and the Bucktails pleasant rela-
tions had existed on the Rappahannock, below Fredericks-
burg, in the early spring. While thus engaged, some of the
members of the country companies, who had had experience
in the lumber camps of North-western Pennsylvania, discovered
a bee-tree, and resolved to possess themselves of the honey.
Axes were promptly brought into play, but their resounding
strokes soon created a hubbub on the rebel side of the stream.

212 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

and several officers appeared, who called out to 'the choppers
to desist or they would be fired upon. An explanation was
offered, but the gray-coats were suspicious and declined to ac-
cept it. The cutting ceased for a time, but the temptation to
secure the honey was strong, and by a crafty application of the
axe at intervals, one or two strokes at a time, the tree was
finally brought to the ground. The entire line shared in the
spoils, and army bread was never eaten with a better relish
than during those two days on the Chickahominy,

On the night of the 12th, Warren's corps crossed the stream
on a pontoon bridge, at Long Bridge, which latter, as well as
all the other bridges, had been burnt by the rebels. The
pickets, including a detail from the 150th, had been left on the
line, and, after the withdrawal of the army, were in imminent
danger of capture. They succeeded, however, in getting out
of the swamp safely, and those belonging to the 150th rejoined
the regiment about four o'clock on the morning of the 13th,
near Dispatch Station. Here a halt was made until dusk, when
the march was resumed and continued until two a.m. of the
14th. At daylight the troops were again in motion, and, with
the exception of a brief rest at Charles City Cross Roads, kept
plodding along by way of Charles City Court-House until the
James River was reached. Here a pontoon bridge had been
laid, and Hancock's corps was already crossing, using boats as
well as the bridge.

On June 16, Warren's corps was carried over in transports
from Windmill Point to Guiney's Landing, and made a rapid
march towards Petersburg, halting about nine p.m. at Prince
George Court-House long enough to make coffee. Then a
fresh start was made, and before midnight the entire corps was
at the front, ready to support the operations already begun by
Smith and Hancock. A number of intrenched lines and redans
had been carried by the Eighteenth and Second Corps, with
considerable loss on both sides ; but the enemy quickly estab-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 21 3

lished himself in fresh works and in strongholds which had
long been prepared for the defence of Petersburg.

In the general advance of the Second, Ninth, and Fifth Corps,
on the morning of June 18, the Fifth was on the left, and had
the greatest distance to traverse, — probably not less than a mile
and a half The ground was very irregular, being broken by
ravines and by the Norfolk Railroad cut, which made the
movement very laborious, and necessitated some readjusting of
the lines before the final dash upon the enemy's works. Grif-
fin's division, of which the 150th was a part, formed for the
assault under cover of a slight elevation about three hundred
yards from the rebel forts, and elaborate instructions were given
to brigade and regimental commanders as to the manner of
their advance and the objective point of each. To the 150th
naturally fell the duty of leading the way as skirmishers for the
brigade, and Major Jones was ordered at a given signal — the
firing of a certain battery — to move rapidly across the first ra-
vine in front to the brow of a rising ground beyond, from which
— if the supporting lines followed closely and in good order —
he was to advance precipitately across a second ravine and
press on until he struck the rebel works. These were to be
carried, if possible; or, if that could not be accomplished, the
nearest elevation was to be held and fortified. At the signal, —
which was given about four p.m., — Major Jones's command
sprang nimbly through the hollow to the summit of the little
hill, and seeing the long line of the 187th Pennsylvania follow-
ing in admirable array, with the other supports close upon their
heels, dashed swiftly into the second ravine and up its farther
slope to the very base of the formidable earthwork which was
subsequently blown up by Burnside's famous mine. During
this time the enemy was not idle. The forts and connecting
intrenchments were strongly manned, and from every point
dominating the scene of the assault came shot and shell and
rattling grape and canister, coupled with a murderous fire of

214 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

musketry, against which no troops could make an effective
stand. While the 150th escaped with comparatively little loss
in passing the last ravine, owing to its formation as skirmishers,
no sooner had the 187th and the succeeding line of smaller
regiments gained the top of the rising ground, already men-
tioned, than they began to melt away under the merciless
storm of iron and lead. Under the superb leadership of
Colonel Chamberlain, who had won the confidence and affec-
tion of the brigade, they pressed on almost to the enemy's
works ; but at this critical point the colonel was dangerously
wounded, and, exposed to an enfilading as well as direct fire,
which strewed the ground with scores of dead or disabled
officers and men at every moment, they were forced to retire
to the protection of the little ridge which they had just sur-
mounted. It was a gallant effort, and, although unavailing,
commanded the admiration of all who witnessed it. For his
part in the action, Colonel Chamberlain was promoted on the
field, by General Grant, to a brigadier-generalship, and later
won the rank of major-general chiefly through the work of this
sanguinary day. In mentioning the colonel's promotion. Bates,
in his "History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers," adds, "The
troops received the warmest commendation for their valor from
General Griffin."

General Humphreys, in his book, " The Virginia Campaign
of '64 and '65," says, " General Warren's assault was well
made, some of Griffin's men being killed within twenty feet of
the enemy's works, but it was no more successful than the
others. His losses were very severe. Among the desperately
wounded was Colonel Chamberlain, of the 20th Maine, who
led his brigade under a destructive fire."

General Chamberlain, in an interview with a newspaper re-
porter, the details of which were published in the New York
^F(?r/^ of January 15, 1893, after mentioning the consolidation of
the First and Fifth Army Corps in the spring of 1864, said of

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 21 5

his own command, " It consisted of Doubleday's division of
veterans (Roy Stone's and Rowley's old brigades), to which
was added a fine new regiment, the 187th Penns5dvania, and
these made up a brigade. I was called to command it while
I held the rank of colonel in another brigade. // was zuith
this magjiificent command that I made the nozu famous charge at
Petersburg, June 18, 1864.

" I had already carried an advanced position across the Nor-
folk Railroad, which brought me close upon the enemy's main
works, and secured myself by bringing up four batteries of ar-
tillery, when an order came to charge the main lines of Peters-
burg with my command. Knowing well the fruitless slaughter
this would involve, I boldly sent back a written protest, but
added that I would willingly make the attack if supported by
the whole army, as would be necessary in order to carry the city
by assault.

" For a time it looked as if my suggestions would be ignored,
but I was re-enforced, and after the fight it was demonstrated
that my refusal to obey the orders had really been the means of
winning the victory. It was for this action that General Grant
promoted me from colonel to brigadier-general. General Grant
afterwards told me that he had never made a promotion on the
field of battle before."

Of the esteem in which the 150th was held by General Cham-
berlain some idea may be formed from a letter written by him
October 11, 1867, addressed to Captain A. J. Rorer, of Company
B, in which he says, " I remember your regiment and its heroic
and gallant service on that terrible day of June, and every
man of it is dear to me."

Well might the general speak thus feelingly of the little 1 50th,
as it was perhaps the only regiment in the entire division that
did not cede a foot of ground which it had won that day.
Planted near the base of the huge rebel fort, the men lay in
comparative security from the fire of its occupants, the muzzles

2l6 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

of whose cannon could not be sufficiently depressed to bear
upon them ; while every enterprising soldier of the garrison
who showed his head and musket above the parapet became the
target of their unerring rifles. It was a hot place, however, for
the Union guns at various points were trained upon the fort,
while an incessant flight of bullets from the infantry lines upon
the ridge in their rear was almost as full of menace to the Buck-
tail skirmishers as to the enemy; so that the weary command
waited with impatience for the coming of night, which promised
at least partial relief from the double peril to which it was ex-
posed. At midnight an officer from the 83d Pennsylvania,
who had crept out to ascertain the exact location of the 150th,
reported to the major that his regiment (the 83d) had been de-
tailed for picket duty, to relieve the skirmishers, and he would
bring it out as promptly as the difficulties of the situation would
permit. About three o'clock on the morning of the 19th the
pickets arrived and, man by man, moved noiselessly into the
little shelters already found or excavated by their predeces-
sors. Day was dawning when the 150th was finally permitted
to retire. To withdraw without loss was no easy matter, in the
face of a vigilant foe ; but by creeping back to the ravine, feet
foremost, and running rapidly to the right, the little band soon
gained a narrow wood road which partially screened it, ena-
bling it to pass without serious accident within the lines of the
corps.

The position to which the regiment was assigned was a short
distance in rear of the first line of battle, where it was much
exposed to the fire of rebel sharp-shooters, with no opportunity
of replying. After several of his men had been killed or dan-
gerously wounded, Major Jones sent a request to Colonel Til-
den, of the i6th Maine, who had been assigned to the command
of the brigade after Colonel Chamberlain was disabled, to be
allowed to move a short distance to a more protected spot, as
the regiment was not actively engaged. The privilege was

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 21/

refused with a boorish exhibition of discourtesy for which the
officer's condition was no excuse.

On the 1 8th of June the mean strength of the regiment,
which a week before was quoted at one hundred and sixty-
eight, had fallen to one hundred and ten, — an appreciable
reduction in so small a body of men.

The following are the names of those killed or mortally
wounded on the i8th and 19th:

Sergeant James W, Slocum, Company H, killed June 18.

Corporal Robert Sloan, Company E, killed June 18.

Private Joseph Guinen, Company H. mortally wounded June 18; died

June 20.
Sergeant Henry Wendler, Company E, mortally wounded June 19; died

July 3-
Of the many wounded on the same dates, the names of only
a few have been ascertained. These are :

Private Stephen P. Harmer, Company A,
Lieutenant John H. Harter, Company D.
Corporal Joseph Hippert, Company F.
Sergeant Charles S. Reisinger,* Company H.
Corporal Leverett Lowe, Company H.
Private Washington McMillen, Company H.

Lists of the killed or mortally wounded — so far as ascertain-
able— in the various engagements beginning with the Wilder-
ness, May 5, have been given in their proper places. In the list
which follows are included the names of those who are known to
have been wounded, captured, or missing, from May 5 to June 8.
The greater number of casualties occurred in the Wilderness, at
Laurel Hill, and at Spottsylvania, but the date is in most cases
uncertain, and is given only when well authenticated :

Company A.

Sergeant Albert Meley, May 5 ; foot.

Corporal George A, Dixon, May 12; arm.

* Sergeant Reisinger mourned the loss of a foot.

2l8 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Corporal Thomas McCombs, May lo ; foot.
Private Isaiah B. Dewees, May lo.
Private Edwin G. Harmer, May lo ; foot.
Private William S. Moore, May 12 ; head.
Private Jacob Myers, May 5 ; foot.
Private Richard L. Sharpless, May 5 ; hand
Private William F. Williams, May 10.

Captured or Missing.
Private Nathan Palmer, May 5.
Private John Zippier, May 5.

Company B,
Sergeant James H. Moore, May 8.
Corporal William Baker.
Corporal William H. Craig.
Corporal John Dedier.
Corporal Richard Dunckley.
Private Patrick Mulhatton.
(None missing.)

Company C.
Sergeant Hoover J. Shannon.
Corporal John W. Amey.
Corporal Samuel Gilmore.
Corporal Peter Snyder.
Private Robert Brooks.
Private Amos Chipman.
Private Andrew Consolo.
Private Hiram Consolo.
Private James O. Looker.
Private Samuel H. Roberts.
Private James F. Shellito.
Private Abraham Stainbrook.
Private Jesse D. Taylor.
Private Clinton Waid.
Private Alexander P. Walters.

Captured or Missing.
Corporal Rodney Conner.
Corporal William W. Seely.
Private William G. Barr (also wounded).

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 219

Private Isaiah Clark.
Private Abijah R. Fross.-
Private Edgar Saeger.
Private Robert Shellito.

Company D.
First Lieutenant John H. Harter, May 10.
Sergeant Samuel H. Himmelwright.
Corporal Albert Foster.
Private James A. Bell.
Private Adam Deal.
Private John Donachy.
Private William Eberhart.
Private Jacob Fillman.
Private Simon E. Foust.
Private James Knittle.
Private Simon Malehorn.
Private Jacob Prutzman.
Private Joel Reedy.
Private William Stitzer.

(None missing.)

Company E.
Sergeant Joseph Walden, May 24.
Corporal Frank B. Jaggard.
Private Lorenzo Keech.
Private William J. Vandegrift.

Captured or Missing.
Corporal Frederick Leiser.
Corporal Stephen Lewis.
Private John O'Harra, killed on "dead line," Ander-

sonville, August 23, 1864.
Private Henry Schaeffer.

Company F.
Sergeant William R. Ramsey, May 6 ; lost leg.
Corporal John D. Harris.
Private Joseph P. Bailey.
Private John K. Himes.
Private Joseph Hippert.

220 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Private Garrett C. Kean.
Private Samuel L. Vanderslice.
Private George T. Wilson.

Captured or Missing.
Private Edward Steck.
Private James Stevenson.

Conipafiy G.
Private Putnam Barber.
Private Albert L. Lamphear.
Private George Loomis.
Private Samuel L. Provin.

Captured or Missitig.

Corporal Henry M. Kinney. Wilderness.
Private William P. Garner. Wilderness.
Private John Mead.

Company H.

Sergeant James T. Reed.
Corporal William Adams. Wilderness.
Corporal Charles Flick. Spottsylvania.
Corporal Samuel G. Robbins. Wilderness.
Private Lafayette Abbott. Wilderness.
Private Lorenzo Abbott. Wilderness.
Private Jeremiah Clark. Spottsylvania.
Private John W. Clark. Wilderness.
Private Samuel Cooper.
Private Joseph Curty.
Private Lafayette Derby. Wilderness.
Private Joseph Haas. Wilderness.
Private William C. Koonce. Wilderness.
Private William McKay. Wilderness.
Private Andrew McDermott. Spottsylvania.
Private Alonzo Markley. Wilderness.
Private Robert Robb. Laurel Hill.
Private Samuel Smith. Laurel Hill.
Private Joseph Smock. Spottsylvania.
Private Asa Swift. Wilderness.
Private Thomas J. Wilder. Spottsylvania.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 221

Captured or Missing.
Corporal Samuel G. Robbins, wounded May 6.
Private Dennis Baily. Wilderness, May 5.
Private Stephen Maryatt. Wilderness, May 5.
Private Pell T. Teed. Spottsylvania, May 12.

Company I.
Sergeant Gilbert Gordon.
Corporal Peter Fink.
Private Esquire Campbell.
Private Moses Cook.
Private William S. Coyle.
Private Almond Delamater. Wilderness.
Private Morris M. Freeman.
Private William H. Hill,
Private Peter S. Kepler.
Private Phares D. Kepler.
Private John Koehler.
Private H. Banning Odell.
Private Henry V. Proctor.
Private Jesse M. Smith.

Captured or Missing.
Private Daniel Farrington.

Total wounded, 95.

Total captured or missing, 23.

222 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER XXIII.

FORT SEDGWICK (OR " HELL") — MAKING CONVERTS WELDON

RAILROAD.

Between eight and nine o'clock on the evening of June 20,
Warren's troops were reheved by Burnside's corps, a colored
division taking the place of Griffin's, which latter marched to
corps head-quarters and bivouacked. On the morning of the
2 1st the division moved towards the left, and, as Elvidge some-
what disapprovingly remarks, "After fooling around all day,
landed within about a mile from where it started." After dark
an advance was made, the 150th occupying its usual position
as skirmishers, and pushing through a wood filled with under-
growth, with here and there a patch of swamp to add to the
unpleasantness of the movement. Major Jones, with the rough
experience of June 18 still fresh in his mind, speaks of it as the
" ugliest duty performed for some time." In his front, disputing
the way, was a rebel line, the flash of whose muskets could be
seen at every discharge, and the sound of whose bullets, cutting
through the magnolia bushes, was multiplied a hundredfold.
At last his line rested at the point which had previously been
agreed upon, — a certain clump of bushes, — where in a very short
time rose the commanding earthwork named " Sedgwick," in
honor of the fallen general, but which was speedily dubbed
" Fort Hell" by the enemy, and has ever since retained that
appellation. The night was spent in constructing a strong line
parallel with the Petersburg and Jerusalem road.

Nothing of any great importance occurred to the 150th, now,
for two or three weeks. A few brief extracts from Elvidge's
lively diary, however, may prove interesting.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 223

"June 2j. — Craig, of Company B, has got back from wounded
furlough. Our fellows and the rebs trading one minute and
fighting the next.

" Jtdie 26. — No firing along our front, as the pickets ha\-e
made a bargain not to fire until one side or the other advances.

"July J. — Trading going on briskly. Fifteen rebs came into
our lines yesterday.

"July /f.. — Lieutenant Kilgore returned to the regiment (he
had been absent for many months on recruiting service).

"July 6. — The Third Division, Sixth Corps, marched to City
Point, on the way — it is supposed — to Maryland, to meet the
Johnnies.

"July 10. — It is reported that both Longstreet and Ewell,
with Lee in command [an error, so far as Longstreet and Lee
are concerned], are in Pennsylvania, and that Lew Wallace has
met and repulsed them [also a mistake]. The raid is made for
provision, and with a view to draw Grant from here. Rebs put
a tax on all the towns passed through by them. Secretary
Chase has resigned. Lincoln again put up for President.

"July II. — The latest news informs us that Lew Wallace has
been obliged to retreat towards Baltimore, with the rebs in full
pursuit. General Tyler a prisoner. The raid seems to be of
far greater importance than was at first attached to it.

" Good news ! The rebel privateer ' Alabama' was sunk off
the French coast by the * Kearsarge,' commanded by Captain
Winslow."

These extracts are useful as giving some account of a move-
ment, under General Early, which created a violent commotion
in the North and for a few days exposed the national capital to
serious danger of capture. They also furnish an opportunity of
recalling to mind the absent company of the 150th, — Company
K, — which continued to serve as the President's body-guard, but
which, on Early's approach, helped to man the outlying fortifica-
tions of Washington, and had on that occasion its only genuine

224 O^^ HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

whiff of burnt powder. This is stated with no intention of
casting reproach upon Company K, which did only what a
thousand other companies would have been glad to do, had
the President's favor alighted in the same manner upon them.

To resume the extracts :

''July I/].. — Arrangements were made that two Florida
brigades should come over and give themselves up. Every-
thing being perfect on our side, the signals agreed upon were
given ; but the plan was found out and frustrated by the rebel
officers, and, after waiting several hours in vain, we gave the
thing up as a bad job.

'' Jjily 75. — Although the two brigades did not get in last
night, about eight hundred from different regiments came in
along the line of our brigade. Their army seems to be very
much demoralized, the men making a break at every oppor-
tunity."

Elvidge's statement needs a little pruning. But one brigade
from Florida was connected with the Army of Northern Vir-
ginia, consisting of the 2d, 5th, 8th, Qth'," loth, and nth Regi-
ments, commanded by Brigadier-General Joseph Finegan.
The number of those who came in on the night of the 14th
was doubtless considerably below eight hundred, though quite
large enough to seriously reduce the strength of the brigade.

Much of the missionary work expended upon Finegan's
command was performed by a few men of the 150th, prominent
among whom were Private Henry K. Lukens and Corporal
Cornelius Slack, of Company E. Both of these were full of
the spirit of adventure, and perhaps as innocent of fear as it is
possible for men to be. In other respects they differed widely.
Lukens was quiet and self-contained, with rigid ideas of duty,
and penetrated by a profound patriotism which urged him to
deeds beyond the ordinary requirements of the service. Com-
bining good judgment with earnestness and sincerity of man-
ner, he was well fitted to favorably impress those upon whom

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 22$

his influence was brought to bear. Slack, on the other hand,
was of a rolHcking disposition, — one of the happy-go-lucky
kind, who take nothing seriously, and view life as a sort of
variety entertainment, where each performer propounds his
conundrum and cracks his joke. As may be imagined, he
was full of wit, and charged to the muzzle with amusing anec-
dotes, which made him a welcome comer in any gathering of
his fellows. Shrewdness he had also in an extraordinary de-
gree, and this and his inexhaustible good-humor had helped
him out of many a tight place. The two men were admirably
qualified to supplement each other's efforts in the work of gain-
ing converts from the enemy, which they now undertook.

Finegan's Floridians manned the pits opposite the front of
Tilden's (late Stone's) brigade, and — as stated by Elvidge — the
pickets, by common consent, used no powder and ball, except
when an advance was made by one side or the other. Under
this favorable condition of affairs it was not long before trading
became an absorbing passion along the line. The chief articles
of barter on the Union side were coffee, sugar, and salt, for
which the rebels eagerly exchanged their abundant supply of
tobacco ; and newspapers also readily found their way from one
line to the other. With the rebels the illustrated weeklies, such
as Harper's and Frank Leslie's, were in great demand, and ruled
high in the price-list.

In the course of their mercantile transactions, Lukens, Slack,
and others finally went into the enemy's pits, on the assurance
that they would not be molested, and were soon on a most
friendly footing v/ith their Southern neighbors. The venture
was repeated many times without a single unpleasant incident,
and they were not long in discovering that, if the Florida
troops ever had any heart in the war, they were now beginning
to be very sick of it. Many of them expressed themselves
frankly to that effect. Here was an opportunity not to be lost.
Lukens calmly suggested that they had better come over.

226 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

They replied that if they did so they feared they would be
forced into the Union ranks, it being currently reported in
Lee's army that such was the intention of the Federal govern-
ment.

Major Jones was promptly informed of these visits to the rebel
pits, and of the state of feeling existing there. He at once re-
ported the facts to the next higher authorities, and they were
not. long in reaching the ears of General Warren, commanding
the corps. The general sent for Lukens, and, after questioning
him thoroughly, gave him a " roving commission," with full
authority to pass through the lines when and where he pleased.
He was also supplied with numerous copies of a proclamation
issued by the President, granting amnesty to all persons in
armed rebellion who should give themselves up. In subse-
quent visits to the rebel line he distributed these freely, and
they. speedily began to produce their effect. One evening he
brought in five deserters with their arms, another evening four,
and so on until there were between twenty and thirty to his
credit. On his ninth and last expedition some of the rebels
said to him, —

" You won't go back to your lines."

" Why not ?" he asked.

" Because we're going to send you to Richmond."

" To Richmond ? You wouldn't go back on a fellow like
that?"

" Yes, sir I You don't return to your lines ! "

Just then a sergeant, with whom his negotiations had been
chiefly carried on, stepped up, exclaiming, " What's that ?"

" These men say they are going to send me to Richmond."

"I. reckon not! This man has traded fair with us, and has
done the square thing right through, and back to his own lines
he goes, and no nonsense about it !"

Detailing two men to accompany him, the sergeant sent him
back without further ado.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 22/

Other missionaries had been at work on the same portion of
the hne, and that night it was agreed that on the following even-
ing, at a given signal, the whole brigade, or as much of it as
could be won over, should make a " rush for freedom" in a body.
The signal was to be two rockets from the fort next to the left
of the position of the 150th, and instructions were passed along
the Fifth Corps lines not to fire when the rush came. At the
same time, for fear of possible treachery, the troops were to
stand to arms, ready to repel any attack that might be under-
taken under cover of this promised desertion.

As mentioned by Elvidge, the plan was discovered in time
to be frustrated, though an important fraction of the brigade
succeeded in reaching the Union lines, singly and in squads.
Lukens, who was subsequently promoted to be first sergeant of
his company, and before final muster-out was commissioned
captain, fully deserves the government medal of honor for his
part in this dangerous work, as well as for other distinguished
services. During his army career he captured, in various actions,
no less than eighteen of the enemy, among them one or two
commissioned officers.

Fatigue duty on Fort Tilden and the sunken roads leading
to it occupied the regiment during the latter half of July. The
fort was practically completed on the 21st, and on the 23d the
subway leading into it received the finishing touches. On the
29th, in the early evening, six thirty-two-pounders, a four-gun
battery of brass Napoleons, and a battery of rifled Parrotts
were run into the fort, forming an armament of fourteen pieces.

On the 30th of July the famous mine excavated by the 48th
Pennsylvania, under the superintendence of Lieutenant-Colonel
Pleasants, was sprung, and an effort made by Burnside's corps,
assisted by other troops, to carry the rebel works and capture
Petersburg. Great expectations had been based upon this un-
dertaking, but, from causes which it would be useless to detail,
none of them were realized. The movement, in which General

228 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

Burnside was most prominent, proved an utter failure, and the
loss of life was sickening. In this affair the 150th had no part,
except as spectators of the furious cannonade which preceded
the charge.

On the loth of August an indiscretion on the part of a staff-
officer of the brigade occasioned a sudden fire of rebel guns
upon the works occupied by the regiment, by which Captain
John H. Harter, of Company D, sustained painful injuries, and
Piivates James Brown and Isaiah Dewees, of Company A, were
also wounded, the former severely. The officer referred to, in
showing some visiting friends the fort, was thoughtless enough
to remove the " coffee bags" from the embrasures in the front,
to enable them to see what a fine range the batteries had of the
rebel works. Instantly the nearest rebel batteries, anticipating
the supposed intentions of the " Yankees," let loose a storm of
iron, with the unfortunate result mentioned.

On the 15th the Second Division of the Ninth Corps replaced
the troops of Griffin, and the latter marched back into the woods
and encamped at division head-quarters, preparatory to the first
movement against the Weldon Railroad. On the i8th the Fifth
Corps was called up at two o'clock in the morning, and marched
at four, the 1 50th being deployed as skirmishers as soon as the
cavalry outposts were passed. The enemy's pickets were soon
encountered and driven beyond the railroad, the regiment cap-
turing a large number of the men at the reserve posts, when
these were reached.

Adjutant Wright, speaking of the occurrences of the day,
says, " From the time the rebel picket reserve was routed until
we had the Weldon road and telegraph line disabled, we had
nothing but fun. After some delay at the railroad we advanced
far enough beyond to give timely warning of the approach of a
hostile body strong enough to retake the road. Several times
the rebels tried it, but were driven back, even before our troops
were up in force. . . , When we first took the Weldon Railroad

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 229

there were no other troops with us. We tore up a few rails and
had the telegraph wires bent as near the ground as the weight
of a man could bring them, when a company of cavalry came
along and cut the wires with their sabres."

While the 150th and the rest of Tilden's brigade got along
so satisfactorily, Ayres's and Crawford's divisions, operating
about a mile farther up the railroad, were attacked by two
brigades of Heth's division, which, penetrating the thick un-
derbrush, struck Dushane's Maryland brigade unexpectedly
and utterly routed it. Ayres quickly drew back his line to
avoid being doubled up by the flank, and then, pressing for-
ward rapidly, beat back the attacking force in confusion.

On the morning of the 19th, General Mahone, advancing
through the thick woods, with whose topography he was en-
tirely familiar, easily broke through Bragg's (Iron Brigade)
skirmish line, and, swinging to the right, swept down Craw-
ford's line, gathering in most of his skirmishers and a great
part of two or three of his regiments. The rest of his division,
and also a portion of Ayres's command, were compelled to fall
back some distance, when they were re-formed by General ,
Warren and, after checking the enemy's victorious movement,
pushed to the front again, retaking the ground which had been
lost. While things were at sixes and sevens in consequence of
Mahone's skilful manoeuvre, Tilden's brigade of Pennsylvanians
was withdrawn from the advanced position which it had held
during the night, and hurried to the right to assist in turning
defeat into victory. Adjutant Wright says of the operations
of the 150th, " Our right flank was beaten, and the regiment
was taken from the left front to resist the advance of the so far
victorious enemy on the right. Major Jones cannot forget
General Griffin's repeated appeals to us to stand, recounting
how 'a line of Pennsylvanians was just so placed at Malvern
Hill, without a spadeful of earth in front of them, and did their
work splendidly,'— ;/>/j.Y as zve did zuhcii the rebels came. Their

230 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

victorious charge of but a short time previous captured the two
regiments of the re-enlisted Pennsylvania Reserve almost to a
man, — Wolf, Hartshorn, Weidler, etc. After the repulse the
belated divisions of the Ninth Corps got there, and we were
relieved. The next day we had the satisfaction of having the
enemy undertake the recapture of the Weldon Railroad, when,
for the first time in my experience, we had the protection of
good breastworks. It is needless to say they were disastrously
defeated."

This last repulse of the enemy, to which the adjutant refers,
occurred on the 2 1st, not on the 20th, Wilcox's and White's
divisions of the Ninth Corps, although tardy in appearing on
the 19th, came into play after the enemy's successful progress
had been stayed, and, attacking with spirit, drove Mahone's
exulting troops back to their intrenchments in great disorder.

On the 20th, General Warren selected and fortified a line a
mile or more in rear of the previous day's battle-ground, in a
more open country, and here he was assaulted on the morning
of the 2 1 St by a formidable force under command of General
,A. P. Hill. The latter's corps was assisted by Mahone's and
Hoke's divisions, and many batteries participated in the attack,
but every attempt to take or turn the works proved ineffectual.
The 150th, with the other regiments of the brigade, occupied
an advantageous position on the extreme left, and somewhat to
the rear of the main line, screened by trees from the observa-
tion of the enemy. Mahone's troops, in their advance, think-
ing they were turning the Union left, unexpectedly stumbled
upon the defences manned by Tilden's brigade, and received a
rude awakening. A galling fire from the 150th and the other
Pennsylvania regiments arrested their progress and seemed to
paralyze them, while a flank fire from the works on the right
and farther to the front completed their demoralization. It
was here that some hundreds of Hagood's rebel command were
taken prisoners and several battle-flags captured.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 23 1

After nightfall Tilden's brigade moved farther to the left and
built breastworks.

In order to complete the destruction of the Weldon Railroad,
and increase Lee's difficulties in obtaining supplies for his army
by that route, Hancock's corps and Gregg's cavalry were sent
farther south on the 22d, and tore up the track for a distance of
three miles beyond Ream's Station. On the 25th these troops
were attacked by Hill's corps, assisted by Anderson's brigade,
of Longstreet's command, and Hampton's cavalry, and a severe
battle ensued, in which the enemy had decidedly the advantage,
taking nearly two thousand prisoners, together with nine guns
and several stands of colors. Hancock's forces were withdrawn
at dark, as the further destruction of the road at that time was
out of the question ; but Warren kept his hold at the Globe
Tavern, intrenched thoroughly, and the enemy never regained
control of the road.

On the 6th of August the mean strength of the regiment, as
reported by Hospital Steward Kieffer, was one hundred and
sixty-four. On the 27th of the same month it had fallen to one
hundred and twenty-eight. In the affair at the Weldon Rail-
road the regiment lost but one killed, — Corporal Cornelius
Slack, of Company E, whose part in the effort to win over the
Florida brigade has been set forth in this chapter.

Among the wounded were Lieutenant Kilgore, of Company
A, and Sergeant Hopkins, of F. A complete list of the
wounded is not obtainable.

232 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER XXIV.

FORT DUSHANE — FIRST MOVEMENT ON HATCHEr's RUN.

The new line of breastworks, begun on the evening of August
21, extended across the railroad and formed the extreme Union
left. On the 22d ground was broken on the " Old Stage Road"
for a large defensive work, called " Fort Dushane," in honor of
Colonel Dushane, commander of the Maryland brigade, who
was killed on the 2 ist. Here the regiment remained for several
weeks, working upon the fort until it was completed, performing
the usual picket duty, and getting under arms now and then to
resist some apprehended attack. On the afternoon of Septem-
ber I a reconnoitring party of rebels drove in the pickets in front
of the brigade, and an attempt at flanking was suspected ; but a
rattling fire of musketry soon compelled them to show a clean
pair of heels. Prior to this, Colonel Tilden, who as commander
of the brigade was not persona grata, had been replaced by
Lieutenant-Colonel Allen, of a Massachusetts regiment, whose
conduct on this occasion reconciled the men to the appointment
of a stranger to handle them temporarily.

Water was a scarce article at this time, and much of that
which was used for cooking purposes having to be brought
quite a distance, the men of the 150th dug a well near the fort
on the 3d of September, obtaining a plentiful supply.

About the 12th a plan for the consolidation of the troops of
the old First Corps was carried into effect, and all were put into
the Third Division, Fifth Corps, under the command of General
S. Wylie Crawford. The 150th became a part of the First
Brigade (General Bragg's), which then consisted of nine regi-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 233

ments, — viz., 121st, I42d, 143d, 149th, and 150th Pennsylvania,
2d, 6th, and 7th Wisconsin, and 24th Michigan. The 121st and
I42d Pennsylvania were a few days later withdrawn and added
to General Hoffman's command.

On the evening of the 12th, after a hard day's work pre-
paring and placing abatis in front of Fort Dushane, the brigade
was ordered out of the fort and marched to the rear of corps
head-quarters, where it bivouacked for the night. On the
following morning the entire division paraded to witness the
bestowal of medals of honor, by General Meade, upon several
enlisted men of the Fourth Division who had distinguished them-
selves by gallant conduct in the action of August 21. It was an
imposing scene, the interest in which was heightened by appro-
priate addresses by Generals Meade and Warren. After the
ceremony was over the 1 50th moved back into the woods to
the right and rear of Yellow House, General Warren's head-
quarters, where it established camp, and with Cooper's old
battery constituted a sort of special reserve.

Being " on the reserve" was by no means the " soft snap"
which many might figure it, and if the men could have had
their choice, no doubt all of them would have preferred to re-
main at the front in the works. As it was, they knew no rest,
but were called into line times without number, in response to
alarms which frequently proved groundless. Elvidge records in
his diary, contemptuously, " For the least bit of a row we have
to be in readiness," In some cases, however, the call was gen-
uine, and the regiment was hurried away to the relief of expe-
ditions in distress. " Once," says Adjutant Wright, "we were
sent to ^et Baxter in from a difficulty, when we were under a
sharp skirmish fire for some time ; and on another occasion, at
a time when Potter's division of the Ninth Corps was being
worsted, we were despatched quite a distance beyond the rail-
road, together with the 2ist Pennsylvania Cavalry, dismounted,
when we took a small earthwork, and came very near being

234 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

captured on our return by Bragg's not getting on the right road
to bring us in."

On the 2 2d, Crawford's division was reviewed by General
Warren, and Bragg's brigade was selected to drill in front of the
division, in the presence of the corps commander, who highly
complimented General Bragg on the appearance and efficiency
of the 150th. On this occasion the regiment aired its white
gloves, which probably had something to do with the flattering
comments passed upon it.

From the 28th of September to the ist of October new dis-
positions were made of the Army of the Potomac, to mask or
assist a movement of the Eighteenth and Tenth Corps against
the rebel works on the north side of the James River. The
Fifth and Ninth Corps were moved farther to the left, leaving a
comparatively small force to hold the line of fortifications, and
everything was done to convey the impression that a serious
effort would be made to gain possession of the South Side
Railroad. This, indeed, was to be attempted, if the conditions
proved favorable. On the 30th, Griffin's and Ayres's divisions
carried the intrenchments and redoubt on the Peebles farm,
capturing several guns and some prisoners. The 150th, while
sharing in the movement to the left, had no part in this particu-
lar action. On the ist of October it was deployed as skirmish-
ers, and, advancing about half a mile, came within range of the
enemy's fire and established a picket line. -The result of the
several days' operations was that the Union lines were extended
considerably westward and brought closer to the objective
point, — the South Side Railroad,-r-besides greatly reducing
the area controlled by the forces defending Petersburg!

On the 3d and 4th, Bragg's brigade was busily engaged in
throwing up an earthwork to hold thirteen guns, the name of
which — if it was ever christened — is forgotten. On the 6th the
150th received a new stand of colors, the old flag having been
too much exhausted by storm and battle to hold together

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 235

longer. Its retirement was the subject of much regret in the
regiment.

The picket h'ne of the brigade was advanced over a mile on
the 8th, occasioning some severe skirmishing, in which a line
of rebel pits was taken.

The Pennsylvania State election took place on the nth of
October, and on the same day the polls were opened in the
various regiments from that State. In the 150th the vote stood
ninety-three Republican to twenty Democratic, including com-
missioned officers and detached men. The mean strength of
the regiment on the ist of October was one hundred and thirty-
three. * No statements for the 8th and 15th are at hand, but on
the 22d the number had increased to two hundred and twenty-
seven, owing to the return of convalescents and absentees on
furlough.

On the i8th, Elvidge entered in his diary, "Detailed for
picket. After dark we got to ' hollering' between the lines, the
Johnnies hurrahing for McClellan, Bob Lee, and Beauregard,
and we for Lincoln, Butler, etc. One Johnny hurrahed for
h — 1. It was kept up backward and forw^ard for about two
hours."

On the 26th came marching orders, with instructions to
carry four days' rations, which was quickly interpreted to mean
a determined effort to reach and hold, or destroy, the South
Side Railroad. The Second, Fifth, and Ninth Corps were to
act in concert in the movement, leaving in the works only a
sufficient force to defend them. At dawn of the 27th, Craw-
ford's division began its march, leaving Baxter's brigade to
occupy the defences. The morning was dark and rainy, and
the progress of the troops through the woods, which covered a
large portion of the country, was necessarily slow. The Ninth
Corps was to carry some intrenchments near Hatcher's Run,
or occupy the force defending them, while Warren's (Fifth)
corps, advancing to Armstrong's Mill, was to support the Ninth

236 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

in the event of its success, pushing forward on its left ; or, if
Parke's attack failed, General Warren was to cross Hatcher's
Run, and, 'in conjunction with Hancock, endeavor to turn the
enemy's right. It is unnecessary to rehearse all the details of
the two days' operations, which were without important results,
owing partly to the unfavorable weather, but chiefly to an in-
sufficient knowledge of the topography of the country and a
miscalculation of the obstacles to be surmounted and the dis-
tances to be traversed, Hancock's corps had some very severe
fighting, with varying success, and Gregg's cavalry was closely
engaged with Hampton's command, holding its own tenaciously
and beating back every attack. Crawford's division, which was
sent across Hatcher's Run, with instructions to deploy and
sweep up the stream, with its right touching the run, until it
should connect with Hancock, encountered unexpected difficul-
ties, and, owing to the dense woods and the too great distance
of Hancock's position to the left, the junction was not effected.
Adjutant Wright says of the part taken by the 150th in this
movement, " We started on the Hatcher's Run affair at four
o'clock on the morning of October 27, and deploying at ten
o'clock, advanced with instructions to go to Hatcher's Run, but
not to cross it. We soon found the rebels, but not enough to
stop our progress, and had advanced about two miles when Lieu-
tenant Mead, of the division staff, halted us and drew the right
of our line back to bring it on the north side of a small stream
which we had crossed with that part of the line, saying it was
Hatcher's Run. Shortly afterwards Lieutenant Herr, also of
division staff, arrived and seemed surprised that we had halted,
and, when informed that it was Mead's order, seemed amazed
that he should have ' taken a little spring ditch for Hatcher's
Run.' Soon after starting again we encountered the first real
hard opposition we had, and for some time were under quite a
heavy fire, the rebels being, as usual, in a dense thicket. We
finally got them on the go, and had no more trouble — except

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 237

at one or two points of the line — in reaching Hatcher's Run,
where we remained quite a long time, — I should think fully
an hour, — waiting for the troops to come up. Artillery was
parked in plain view of us on the other side, with horses pick-
eted. The tobacco wagons were issuing tobacco to the ' rebs,'
and they seemed to have no knowledge of our being so close.
The pickets that w,e drove off must have returned to their line
very much to our right. It was then that Major Jones sent me
to the rear to inform our brigade where we were, and to bring
up the troops. Sergeant-Major Topping was captured before
this, along with Corporal E. L. Dickinson, of Company B, off
to our left. As I was taken in the attempt to get to our troops,
it ended my knowledge of what occurred afterwards."

Some time before reaching the stream, and while the rebel
pickets were still making a show of resistance, Major Jones in-
structed Sergeant-Major Topping to go to the extreme left of
the line to see how it was getting on. He hurried away on his
mission, and just as he reached the outside flankers, consisting
of Corporal Dickinson and two others, the main skirmish line
swung around rapidly to the right, — an evolution in which the
flankers were unable to join promptly on account of an ugly
morass in their front. Almost before he had time to take in the
situation the sergeant-major was approached by a man of im-
posing size, wearing a regulation blue overcoat, and looking
exactly like a Union cavalryman, who asked him a question or
two in regard to the line as he moved forward, and then, sud-
denly whipping out a revolver from beneath his overcoat, thrust
it in his face and with an oath demanded his surrender. At the
same moment he became aware of the presence of half a dozen
rebels, a little to the left and rear, all covering him with their
guns, making any idea of resistance hopeless. One of the flank-
ers, who subsequently escaped around the swampy thicket,
fired at the man with the pistol, but failed to hit him. The
sergeant-major and Corporal Dickinson had nothing to do but

238 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

surrender, and were soon on their way to test prison life at
Richmond and Danville.

Major Jones, with his skirmishers, having outstripped the line
of battle, when (in Wright's homely phrase) he had got the
rebels " on the go," and finding himself still unsupported after he
had waited more than an hour at the run, began to surmise that
something had gone amiss, and deemed it advisable to commu-
nicate with the brigade commander. He accordingly sent Adju-
tant Wright back on this errand, with the result already stated.
Owing to the wide gap on Hancock's right, the enemy had occu-
pied the woods some distance in Jones's rear, placing the little
regiment in a most unenviable situation, although it was oblivi-
ous of the new danger. As he had no order to withdraw, and
night was falling, the major concluded to make the best of it
and remain where he was. The men were cautioned to main-
tain their line, exercise increased vigilance, and abstain from
firing unless attacked.

Meanwhile, Crawford's command, finding itself confronted
by large bodies of rebels who had broken through Hancock's
lines or skirted his right flank, and in danger of being sur-
rounded, had withdrawn across the run and taken up a new
position. Either from ignorance of Major Jones's location or
because in the excitement of the moment the matter was over-
looked, no instructions whatever were sent to that officer. In-
deed, it was not known either at brigade or division head-quar-
ters whether the major and his Bucktails — when their absence
was finally remarked — had not been " gobbled up" bodily by
the enemy, and much anxiety was felt for their safety.

The night, like the day, was wet and gloomy, and the regi-
ment rarely passed more uncomfortable hours. At dawn
Sergeant Jonathan Hall, of Company B, returned to the line,
having safely made his way to brigade head-quarters and back.
He was soon followed by Captain Davis, of the brigade staff,
and some 150th men who had been on detached duty the pre-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. . 239

vious day, or from one cause or another had dropped back from
the front to the h'ne of battle, and under their instructions Major
Jones began the perilous work of withdrawing. It was no easy
matter to retire in the presence of a watchful enemy, and the
movement had hardly been undertaken before it was discovered
and bullets began to fly. Breaking some distance to the rear,
and filing to the right, the command crossed the run on a fallen
log, not without the disabling of several men. One poor fellow
lost his footing on the log and was thoroughly soused in the
cold stream, but escaped without further injury. Piloted by
the searching party, the little regiment was not long in rejoin-
ing the brigade, where it was welcomed with cheer upon cheer,
having been given up as captured.

Elvidge's record of the Hatcher's Run movement reads, —
" October 27. — Marched at daylight. One brigade of each
division left behind. Moved out towards the South Side Rail-
road about ten miles. Here we came up with the Second and
Ninth Corps. Our regiment, as usual, deployed as skirmishers
and moved forward about half a mile, then wheeled to the left
and on again for about a mile and a half A division staff-officer
took Captain Sigler, myself, and Bill Williams out to hunt the
lines. Found nothing but Johnnies in front, and, returning, he
(the staff-officer) lost us all in the woods. After hunting around
a couple of hours, found the brigade about dark. The Johnnies
broke through the Second Corps and got in our rear. They
brought all their prisoners and wounded into our lines by mis-
take. One party took two division orderlies and a staff-officer
within about twenty yards of our line of battle. About half-
past one o'clock General Crawford undertook to take our bri-
gade out, as we were almost surrounded. Lost the wa)' and
ran into A. P. Hill's line of battle, but finally came out all
right. The regiment lay on the line all night, with the John-
nies fighting them on one side and the 155th and 91st Pennsyl-
vania on the other [?].

240 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

" October 28. — This morning advanced the eighteen [150th
men] left here, and found out where the regiment was, and
succeeded in getting it in. Adjutant [Wright], sergeant-major
[Topping], and ' Dixey' captured; other losses unknown. Com-
menced moving back about nine o'clock, and were all back
inside of our works by four in the afternoon. What the move
was intended for is more than I can say."

In a letter to his mother, dated October 29, 1864, Lieutenant
Harvey Fisher, of Company A, says, " We started from here on
the morning of the 27th, at four o'clock, and reached our old
camp again last evening about six o'clock. . . . We did not fight
in line of battle, but had a very hot skirmish for about twenty-
four hours, during which we lost in the regiment fourteen men
wounded and two prisoners; also one officer, our adjutant, was
taken prisoner. I am now acting in his place."

Of the wounded at Hatcher's Run, Private Patrick Gibbons,
of Company E, died of his injuries on the 5th of January fol-
lowing, and Private Simon Erdley, of Company D, lost his
right arm. Sergeant Edward B. Fowler, of F, who was slightly
wounded on the 27th, was appointed acting sergeant-major vice
Topping, captured.

Adjutant Wright tells the story of his own capture as fol-
lows : " On our way up we passed over a large swamp full of
tussocks, and between these, in places, deep water. In return-
ing (to look for the brigade) I crossed the same swamp, and was
very careful not to make a misstep. Going on in this way, with
my eyes directed to the ground, and having to jump from one
grassy tuft to another, my progress became quite rapid. On
reaching the end of the swamp I was on a pretty good run and
well-nigh out of breath. The first thing I saw, on looking up,
was two rebel soldiers looking away from me, and the next a
large pine-tree, three or four feet across, just to my right. It
took only an instant to jump behind the tree, where I caught
my breath and considered what I should do. I had no revolver,

PENNSYLVANIA VOLLNTEERS. 24 1

and could not draw my sword, thanks to Lieutenant Funk, who,
in riding over us one night at Laurel Hill, set his horse's feet
on it and mashed the scabbard so tight to the blade that it re-
quired assistance to get the latter out. To run back over the
swamp, which was at least four hundred yards wide, was too
risky, and I did not know what to do ; but finally thought I
had better try to see if the rebels were still lookine for o-oincr)
the other zvay. Peeping out from behind the tree, I was surprised
to find them both expecting me, with muskets to the shoulder,
cocked, and demanding, 'Surrender, sir!' This I had to do,
except to deliver my sword, which they did not ask me for. I
used considerable argument to induce them to put down their
guns, but only succeeded in getting one of them to do so. I
was sure they would take me right into our regiment, as on ask-
ing them where their lines were they pointed in the exact direc-
tion from which I had come. They had been on picket duty
there, or near there, and knew a path around the. swamp. They
marched me off, one in front of me with his gun at a trail, but
the other kept his gun cocked and at a ready. We soon struck
a road leading to Hatcher's Run, and which crossed it but a
short distance to the left of our regiment. On this road we
met Colonel Peyton, of General Lee's staff, to whom both of
my captors appealed to be allowed to take me to the rear, telling
him how many prisoners they had already taken that day, while,
in fact, they were stragglers from a North Carolina regiment
which had gone to the left, where Hancock was having a hard
fight. Colonel Peyton at once asked for my sword, and ques-
tioned me, trying to make me out a spy. He could not under-
stand how I could be there and belong to the Fifth Corps.
He left me in charge of the two ' rebs' who caught me, and rode
off to see if he could find anything of our regiment. He went
directly to its rear, not very far from the hne, and rode the full
length of it. He was mounted on as pretty a bay horse as I
ever saw, and was handsomely uniformed in gray, buttoned up

242 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

to the neck, the buttons nearly as large as blacking-boxes. I
expected him to be shot, every instant ; but no doubt our men
were so intently viewing the park of artillery, the tobacco train
(it was 'Tobacco Day' with the 'rebs'), and the troops marching
to the left on the other side of the run, that they did not look
to the rear at all. On his return. Colonel Peyton turned me
over to Sergeant Pollard, of Lee's head-quarters guard, who was
coming in from Hancock's fight with a squad of prisoners, and
* fired' the poor devils who had taken me out to the front."

The adjutant gives many interesting details of the niarch to
Petersburg, where he met Corporal Dickinson, and of the jour-
ney to Richmond, where he was safely housed in " Libby, the
palace of all rebel prisons." Thence, after a week's sojourn, he
was taken to Danville, Virginia, at which point he rested until
the middle of February, 1865. He was then fortunate enough
to be returned to Libby, paroled, and sent North, arriving at
Annapolis about the 22d of the same month.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 243

CHAPTER XXV.

IN WINTER -QUARTERS iSXCHANGE OF ARMS PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION SECOND WELDON RAILROAD EXPEDITION SECOND

hatcher's RUN (or dabney's mill).

Two days after the return from Hatcher's Run a new camp
was outlined for the entire division, and the work of putting up
winter-quarters began. The same night (October 30) a body
of the enemy executed a skilful raid on the front of the Second
Corps, capturing most of its pickets and causing quite a com-
motion along the Union lines. All the troops sprang to arms,
but the raiders retired as quickly as they came, and quiet soon
reigned again.

On the 4th of November the regiment enjoyed a most grati-
fying surprise. Ever since the army started on the Wilderness
campaign the 150th had been pushed to the front as skirmishers
on all occasions, and a thousand times had sighed for breech-
loading rifles to replace the inconvenient " Enfields" brought
from Harrisburg in 1862. At last its wish was gratified. The
old weapons were turned in on the day named, and the men
were made proud and happy by the receipt of new breech-
loading " Sharps," with whose mechanism they were soon
familiar.

The Presidential election was held on Tuesday, November 8.
The story of how the soldiers voted is best told in a letter
written on the following day by Lieutenant Fisher, and ad-
dressed to his mother :

" We had an exciting time over the election yesterday. I
will give you the result in our brigade:

244

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

149th Pennsylvania Volunteers
143d Pennsylvania Volunteers
150th Pennsylvania Volunteers

2d Wisconsin .

6th Wisconsin .

7th Wisconsin .
24th Michigan .

Total

Democratic.

Republican

. 102

188

100

186

. 27

III

123

• 30

137

• 50

176

331

991

" Almost all of the new regiments are giving a large majority
for McClellan ; but you will find that most of the men (I will
not say all) who are voting the Democratic ticket have either
lately come out for the large bounties, and not for the sake of
the country, or have forever ' bummed' in the hospital and
never fired a gun. You will find no soldier who is fighting
simply for the good of the country that will cast a vote for
McClellan and Pendleton."

A review of General Bragg's brigade by General Crawford,
on the 1 2th of November, was followed on the 14th by a re-
view of the same brigade by its own commander. On this
latter occasion the several regiments had added an extra polish
to their entire outfit, and their appearance and movements were
exceptionally brilliant. After the affair was over, General Craw-
ford, who had witnessed it, said to Bragg, ' Your men didn't get
themselves up like that for me." " No," replied Bragg; "they
don't think as much of you as they do of me !"

Elvidge mentions the occurrence in this wise : " Old Bragg
had another review this afternoon. The affair of Saturday did'
not appear to satisfy him. I guess he had had a little too
much, or wanted to show us the new coat which he had on."

For several weeks quiet prevailed, and, beyond the receipt of
dress-coats and regulation hats, and daily practise with the new
rifles, there is nothing of interest to chronicle. On the evening
of November 26 commissions arrived for Edward B. Fowler, of
Company F, and Gilbert Gordon, of Company I, as first lieu-

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 245

tenants in their respective companies, and on the following day
they assumed the duties of their rank.

General Warren's (Fifth) corps, strengthened by Mott's divi-
sion of the Second, and Gregg's cavalry, started on the 6th of
December to complete the destruction of the Weldon Railroad.
Halt was made for the night near the Jerusalem plank road.
On the following day Bragg's brigade led, marching down the
plank road about fifteen miles, then turning to the right and
crossing the Nottoway River on pontoons at dark, and reach-
ing Sussex Court-House before bivouacking. The column
passed through Coman's Well on the morning of the 8th, struck
the railroad, and immediately began the work of destruction.
The several divisions, in line of battle, with pickets advan-
tageously posted, tore up the track in their front, burning the
ties and twisting the rails, and then marching to the left, re-
peated the operation until the road was dismantled to a point
forty miles from Petersburg. The work occupied two days,
and, as the weather was cold and wet and rations were not over-
abundant, much suffering was entailed on the troops. The re-
turn march was begun on the lOth, the 150th moving as skir-
mishers on the flank. The strain on their physical resources
that day was very great, as the distance made was sixteen
miles, over fields sodden by the continuous rain and through
woods filled with a tangle of undergrowth, to say nothing of
swampy places, which were all too frequent. On the nth the
regiment was selected to cover the rear, and had a scarcely less
uncomfortable experience than on the preceding day, having to
hurry " forward into line" at brief intervals, in anticipation of an
attack. When on the following morning the seven days' excur-
sion ended on the spot where the brigade rested the first night
of the outward march, the men were more thoroughly exhausted
than they had been at any time since the trying days of Spott-
sylvania and the North Anna.

A change of position was made on the morning of the i6th,

246 OXE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

the brigade moving into the woods a mile or more to the west
of the Jerusalem plank road, where work was immediately-
begun on new winter-quarters. The weather was growing
cold, and, with an insufficient food supply, — the reasons for
which were not apparent, — there was urgent need of comfort-
able shelter. Christmas came and went with nothing to dis-
tinguish it from other days, except the memories which it
brought of merry Christmases spent at home in the " piping
times of peace." The soldier's kettle (in most cases nothing
better than an empty tomato can) gave forth no more savory
odor than that of boiled pork, while " hard-tack" and coffee
furnished the rest of the feast. All the same there were happy
hearts and shouts of joy on the morning of the 26th, when
a despatch was read before each regiment announcing the
capture of Savannah by General Sherman, with thousands of
prisoners, scores of guns, and endless quantities of stores.

On the last day of December the first snow-storm of the
season set in. As the inclement weather and muddy condi-
tion of the roads made active field operations impossible, leaves
of absence and furloughs were now granted quite freely, and a
number of officers and men of the 150th were permitted to visit
their homes, fifteen days being the longest absence approved.
Among those favored may be mentioned Major Jones, Lieu-
tenants Fisher, Rorer, Gordon, and Fowler, Sergeant-Major
Hall, Sergeant Fink, of Company I, and Corporal Lister, of
Company B. Of course all were not away at the same time.
In the absence of the sergeant-major, the adjutant's clerk,
Frank H. Elvidge, performed the duties of that position.

Captain Beckwith, who had already seen three years and a
half of active service, and whose infirm mother was anxious for
his return home, made application on the 22d of January to be
mustered out, but his petition was returned on the 23d, disap-
proved. On the latter date Private Paul Hoffinan returned to
Company A for duty, having been absent ever since the battle

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 247

of Gettysburg, in which a dangerous wound in the breast came
near ending his hfe.

On February 4 orders were received to be ready to move, with
Hght-marching outfit, at half-past six on the morning of the 5th.
Again there was to be wrestling for the South Side Railroad,
and the regiment was to renew its acquaintance with Hatcher's
Run and have " Dabney's Mill" impressed upon its memory
and stamped upon its banners. Elvidge chronicles the move-
ment briefly in his diary :

" Fcbntary 5. — Moved just after daybreak. Took the Halifax
road, crossed Hatcher's Run, and marched within about three
miles of Dinwiddle Court-House. Halted for about an hour,
made fires, and then marched back again to the junction of the
Vaughan road. Deployed in line of battle and halted for the
night. Had a row with the 6th Wisconsin about rails. Weather
very cold and we had no blankets.

" February 6. — Hauled out about three o'clock, took the
Vaughan road, crossed Hatcher's Run just at daybreak, and
moved perhaps a mile, when we about-faced and went back to
the creek again. Lay there until near three o'clock, when we
crossed the stream once more, moved to the right of the First
Division, and deployed, the line of battle following us up.
Opened the ball, charged the rebels in their works, and every-
thing was going serenely when I was struck in the left leg by a
* Minie,' which shattered the bone somewhat, but not enough
to necessitate the loss of the limb."

(Elvidge was taken to the division hospital, and subsequently
to City Point and other hospitals. From this time his diary
ceases to be of interest from a strictly military stand-point.)

The movement which Elvidge describes as having occurred
about three o'clock p.m. is stated by General Humphreys to
have taken place at one o'clock, and to have been a reconnois-
sance by General Crawford's division along the Vaughan and *
Dabney's Mill roads, with Ayres's division in support to the left

248 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

and rear. The 150th, as skirmishers, led Bragg's brigade, and
soon encountered the skirmishers of a portion of Pegram's
command, who were driven back on their main Hne, and the
latter dislodged and pushed as far as Dabney's Mill. A fresh
division of the enemy coming to Pegram's support, the tables
were turned and Crawford's left was forced back. Three bri-
gades were hurried to Crawford's assistance, but Mahone's
division arriving, so strengthened the rebel line that it advanced
with confidence to the attack, and in spite of Warren's utmost
endeavors his troops were compelled to yield ground at every
point. But for the timely arrival of a portion of General
Wheaton's division, of the Sixth Corps, the enemy's success
might have been more serious, involving the capture of numer-
ous prisoners and guns. The broken line of the Fifth Corps
was quickly re-formed on Wheaton's deploying column, and the
rebel progress checked.

On the 7th the troops again advanced at an early hour, and,
driving the enemy, began to fortify a new line. The next two
or three days were spent in work on these new defences.

Second Hatcher's Run, or Dabney's Mill, was the last battle
in which the 150th participated, and the record of its losses
proves conclusively that it was " at the front" and had its full
share of the fighting. A copy of the morning report of January
22, 1865, shows the number of officers present for duty on that
day to have been eight, and the number of enlisted men one
hundred and fifty-five, exclusive of fifty-eight men on detached
service. The strength of the command was doubtless about
the same when the Dabney's Mill affair occurred. Out of
this small number five men were killed or mortally wounded,
and perhaps twenty or more wounded, although the exact
number of the latter cannot now be learned. The only one
whose name has been ascertained is Private John B. Litch, of
Company G.

Those who were killed, or died of their injuries, were, —

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 249

Coinpa7iy D.
Private John Deal, mortally wounded February 5.

Cotnpatiy G.
Sergeant S. De Loss Taggart, mortally wounded February 6.
Corporal Theodore Yardley, killed February 6.

Company H.
Private Jonathan Deross, killed February 6.
Private John A. Robb, killed February 6.

250 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

CHAPTER XXVI.

TO ELMIRA, NEW YORK GUARDING CONSCRIPTS EXPEDITION TO

FALL BROOK, PENNSYLVANIA, AND A BLOODLESS VICTORY

MUSTER-OUT AND FINAL PAY HOME AGAIN.

The history of the regiment draws rapidly to a close. It was
not the good fortune of the 150th to share in the exciting
" round-up" which followed the evacuation of Richmond and
Petersburg, or witness the impressive scenes which marked the
surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox. It heard with un-
bounded joy of the final success of the Army of the Potomac
under its great leader, Grant, and his able but modest lieuten-
ant, Meade, after years of patient campaigning, in which, more
from want of capable management than from lack of discipline,
zeal, or courage, no glorious victory had been inscribed upon
its banners, except Gettysburg. It was filled with a mighty
sorrow by the news of the assassination of President Lincoln,
who was regarded with a more than filial affection by all who
wore the nation's blue, and whose many-sided greatness, shining
through his unstudied simplicity, made him the ideal of their
hearts,— the equal of the immortal Washington.

On the loth of February an order was received detaching
the brigade from the Army of the Potomac, to proceed North
on special service. On the following day the 143d, 149th, and
150th Regiments, worn and wasted by constant duty and almost
incessant fighting, took boat at City Point for Baltimore. The
Wisconsin regiments, which had accompanied them to the point
of embarkation were, for some reason, sent back to the lines at
Petersburg.

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 25 I

As the weather was threatening, the steamer lay at anchor
all night near Fortress Monroe, and did not reach its des-
tination until the evening of the I2th. Here, after a delay of a
day or two, orders came to the 149th and 150th to proceed by
rail to Elmira, New York, to take charge of the rendezvous for
conscripts at that place ; and the 143d was at the same time in-
structed to go by water to Hart's Island, in New York harbor,
for similar duty at that point. After nearly two years and a
half of intimate association, chiefly in the field, these well-tried
regiments separated with extreme regret.

The railroad journey from Baltimore to Elmira was without
important incident, and the 149th and 150th were soon com-
fortably quartered in wooden barracks on the confines of the
latter city, where their duty was to guard a considerable assem-
blage of conscripts, and furnish details from time to time to
escort detachments of these not over-patriotic levies to the
front. Much looseness of method had hitherto prevailed in
the management of the camp, and complaints were numerous
that, by the use of money or other bribes, many of those who
had drawn prizes by the " turn of the wheel" had escaped the
service for which they were intended. All this was now
changed. It was apparent from the start that the " Bucktails"
had brought their habits of vigilance and discipline from the
enemy's country, and were never more intent upon "business"
than in their new position. They were not without annoyance,
however, from unruly members of this fortuitous aggregation,
who conspired at times to break away from their confinement
by drawing the attention of the sentinels to one portion of the
stockade — always at night — while they endeavored by a wild
rush to effect a breach at another. On one occasion a passage
was dug under the high enclosing fence, in the darkness, and a
score or two of those who were in the secret slipped out, one at
a time, only to be collared, as they emerged from the tunnel, by
silent guardsmen, who quietly returned them to the inside of

252 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

the inclosure. The officer of the day was quick to discover
their plan, and had promptly posted men at the point of exit,
whose summary action went far to cure this mania for escaping.

An organized attempt had been made, at an earlier day, to
break down the fence at one end of the grounds, and this was
partially successful, but not a man was permitted to get away.
The ringleaders in the plot looted the sutler's establishment,
which was in the grounds ; but Lieutenant Kilgore, with an
ample detail of guards, quickly searched the entire camp, to
such purpose that nearly everything of value was recovered.
In his gratitude the sutler insisted upon presenting the lieuten-
ant with a gold watch, and would take no refusal.

Colonel John Irvin, of the 149th, as the ranking officer of the
two regiments, commanded the entire force, and, with the advice
and assistance of Major Jones, ably administered the affairs of
the post. Guard-mounting and dress parade were observed with
due formality, and, by consolidating the music of the two com-
mands under the leadership of an excellent musician from the
149th, an imposing and most efficient drum corps was created,
whose performances attracted crowds of admiring citizens to the
neighborhood of the barracks. Some of the mounted officers,
in their abundant leisure, conceived a fancy for driving, and
having broken their mixed assortment of horses to harness,
made frequent excursions to " Uncle Dick's" and other well-
known resorts near the city, where they were always sure to
find something better than ordinary camp fare. In their bound-
less ambition a " four-in-hand" was set up for a brief period,
with Quartermaster Voorhis as "whip;" but, as Adjutant
Wright expresses it, " it was not a howling success."

The regiment enjoyed comparative quiet at Elmira until the
beginning of May, when an exciting diversion was afforded it in
the shape of an expedition to Fall Brook, Tioga County, Penn-
sylvania, to quell a "strike" of coal-miners at workings in which
" General" Magee was largely interested. Matters had assumed

FENNS YL VANIA VOL UNTEERS. 253

an ugly phase, and the local authorities finding themselves un-
able to cope with the riotous workmen, appealed to Governor
Curtin for military aid. The nearest available troops were at
Elmira, but much red tape had to be gone through before their
services could be obtained. The governor finally succeeded in
arranging the matter with the Secretary of War and the com-
mander of the department, and on or about the 7th of May the
150th was ordered to start for the scene of the disturbance. In
the absence of Major Jones, who was in Philadelphia on leave,
Captain Sigler marshalled the regiment, and, scenting battle in
the air, loaded his men on a special train with commendable
alacrity. The journey occupied an entire night, the train halt-
ing at several points to pick up the sheriff of Tioga County
and large bodies of armed deputies. The sheriff was a man of
strong backbone, and expressed the belief that he could over-
come all resistance with his own force; but the military, he
thought, would meet with no opposition, while loss of life would
inevitably result if only himself and his deputies appeared upon
the scene. The correctness of his judgment was shown by the
sequel.

Fall Brook was reached at daybreak, and from one to two
hundred tired and hungry soldiers were quickly in line along
the railroad track, calculating the chances of a " square meal,"
but ready for instant service, if demanded. Captain Sigler was
met at the train by Mr. Brewer, general superintendent of the
mines, and on inquiring of the latter what was wanted of him,
received the gratifying reply, " The first thing we want of you
and your command is to come and get a good breakfast, which
is now ready for you."

The captain, whose faith in every soldier of his command was
absolute, at once ordered arms to be stacked, and a detail of two
or three guards placed over them while the regiment took the
offered refreshment. The adjutant, less trustful than his supe-
rior, took care to detail two or three of the best men in the

254 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

ranks for this duty, and himself kept a watchful eye on the
arms during the absence of the main body. He relates that
the smile which had previously irradiated the superintendent's
face "quickly vanished at the idea of allowing a lot of guns and
ammunition to stand on one side of the railroad track, in the
keeping of so insignificant a guard, with a howling mob of
women and boys on the other side, and five hundred armed
men close by, desperate enough to undertake anything. The
mining official mildly suggested an increase of the force, but the
captain only laughed at his fears, and the boys went for their
breakfast."

In all sincerity. Captain Sigler — although his confidence in his
Bucktails was justified by the result, for nothing was molested
during the meal — treated the situation far too lightly, and might
have suffered for so grave a military error. Fortunately, the
guards had nothing more serious to contend with than the
vituperative tongues of a crowd of angry women, which served
to amuse rather than offend them.

The insurrectionary force of miners, numbering about five
hundred, armed with guns, revolvers, knives, and bludgeons,
was located at the edge of a wood, a mile and a half or two
miles east of the village. Thither Captain Sigler led his little
battalion, after all had satisfactorily breakfasted, revolving his
plan of attack as he went. In a hollow, not far from the wood,
and out of sight of the miners, he deployed his column, and
detaching a small body of men from each wing, sent them
under trusty officers to get on the flanks of the insurrectionary
force within fifteen minutes. Lieutenant Kilgore commanded
the flanking party on the right and Captain Beckwith the one
on the left, and as soon as these were seen to have gained their
proper places, the main line advanced rapidly and in good order
until it reached a point about a hundred yards from the wood.
Here the line was halted, in plain view of the strikers, and
Captain Sigler, accompanied by his adjutant, the sheriff, and

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 255

Superintendent Brewer, went forward to the edge of the wood
and demanded their surrender, giving them three minutes to
come out and lay down their arms. With this stern summons
they promptly complied, and thus ended a quasi insurrection
which at one time promised " no end" of damage to property,
as well as bloodshed. Several of the ringleaders were arrested
on the spot and taken back to the village, where they were duly
arraigned before a magistrate and committed for trial. A squad
of soldiers escorted them to the Wellsborough jail.

Lieutenant Fisher* was sent with a detachment of men to
Blossburg, where some difficulty was apprehended, but the pro-
foundest peace prevailed after his arrival.

The rest of the regiment was billeted for several days in the

* Lieutenant Harvey Fisher was commissioned captain of Company
A, March 6, 1864, but, on account of the absence of Captain Widdis (who
during his long term of imprisonment in the South had been commis-
sioned major and heutenant-colonel), could not be mustered in his new
grade. He died at Atlantic City, New Jersey, August 31, 1885. Born at
"Wakefield," Germantown, November 4, 1843, his youth was passed in
that beautiful rural quarter, and here he imbibed that love of athletic
sports which was so much a characteristic of the youth of the neighbor-
hood in his time. From the Germantown Academy he entered the Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania, but in the second year of the war, impelled by a
high sense of patriotism, he left his class and entered the 150th as second
lieutenant of Company A, being then not quite nineteen years old. From
the autumn of 1863 until the close of hostilities he commanded his com-
pany with marked ability, enjoying the respect and esteem of his men
and the good opinion of his fellow-officers as well as of his superiors in
rank.

With the exception of two years spent in planting cotton, in Louisiana,
at the close of the war, he was occupied for the most part in the manufact-
ure of iron at Duncannon, Pennsylvania, where he lived up to the time of
his death. His taking-off, in the prime of manhood, brought sadness to
a large circle of relatives, and fell with the sharpness of a personal loss
on those who, having shared with him the fatigues and dangers of the
field, admired him for his many sterling traits, and gave him to the end
full measure of soldierly affection.

256 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

village of Fall Brook, and lived literally on the " fat of the land,"
receiving the kindest attentions not only from the permanent
population, but even from the miners and their families.

To quote from the adjutant's account of the expedition : "The
head-quarters of the command was in the house of a Mr. (or
Mrs.) Smith, where Mr. Magee also made his home when at the
mines, and a royal good place it was, — everything as clean as a
pin, and the table furnished with everything, cooked and served
in the best style. Mr. Magee would have nothing roasted in a
stove, but, instead, in a large oven, a whole quarter of large veal
being brought on the table in one piece, as brown as a nut.

" Stock ale was on tap at a dozen places, free for the men ;
ale also on tap at the head-quarters, with the addition of prime
rye whiskey ; and two English servants were at hand to do our
bidding."

General Magee seems to have been very favorably impressed
with the conduct of the regiment, and had much to say in com-
mendation of its discipline. Soon after its return to Elmira, at
the end of this extraordinary "picnic" of three or four days,
he sent a considerable sum of money to be distributed among
the men, of which each received not less than five or six dollars.
In no other way could he have shown more gratifying testimony
of his appreciation of their services, by which a formidable
mutiny — for it could hardly be called a "strike" — had been put
down in the shortest possible time, without the shedding of a
drop of blood. He also sent a large number of passes over
various railroads in the State of New York, enabling the offi-
cers to make inexpensive excursions to Niagara Falls and other
points of interest within easy reach. Nor did his generosity
stop here. Before leaving Fall Broolc a number of the officers
were warmly urged by him to return a little later and join him
in a trout-fishing expedition, as his guests. A party was accord-
ingly made up, and started in due time for the scene of the re-
cent triumph, neglecting, however, to notify the general of the

PENNSYLVANIA VOLLNTEERS. 257

date of its coming. As good luck would have it, the officers
composing the party met him, on their arrival at Corning, on his
way to New York City to attend a meeting of the Bituminous
Coal Association, of which he was president. Without a mo-
ment's hesitation he instructed his secretary to notify the board
by telegraph that the meeting was postponed indefinitely, and,
ordering his private car and locomotive, conveyed his unex-
pected guests in great style to Fall Brook. As the streams in
that vicinity were much discolored by rain, which made the first
day's fishing a failure, teams were provided, with abundant store
of refreshments of every kind, and on more distant waters the
party enjoyed several days of delightful sport.

Elmira was now beginning to fill up with returning New
York regiments, awaiting their final pay and muster-out. After
the long and severe restraint to which they had been subjected
at the front, they naturally chafed under the restrictions imposed
upon them almost in the shadow of their own homes, and the
fact that Pennsylvania troops furnished the patrols and assisted
in maintaining the peace of the city created a growing feeling
of animosity towards them. It culminated in something very
like a conspiracy to " tear out" the two Keystone regiments,
although these had displayed a most friendly disposition on all
occasions, voluntarily assisting in the many entertainments set
on foot by the New York organizations for their own exclusive
benefit. On the evening chosen for the hostile demonstration a
recently returned company of artillery, which had drifted into
the plot, discovered — almost at the last moment — that the troops
against which the riotous movement was aimed were the very
" Bucktails" who, on the first day at Gettysburg, when Hill and
Ewell were closing in on Doubleday's shattered forces, in their
final stand near the seminary, had, at the risk of their own capt-
ure,— perhaps their annihilation, — saved their battery by hold-
ing the enemy in check while the pieces were limbered and
drawn from the field. The memory of this noble deed, and of

258 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH

the courage and self-sacrifice which accompanied it, stayed the
hands of the artillerists and sent their sympathies surging in the
direction of the menaced Pennsylvanians. Instantly they with^
drew from the clamorous mob and, denouncing its proposed
action as both cowardly and unsoldierlike, put their guns in
position to defend the Bucktail barracks. With their defection
the whole infamous scheme of attack fell to pieces.

Had the assault been made, as originally intended, the two
little Pennsylvania regiments, with their quick-firing breech-
loaders, would have given a good account of themselves, doubt-
less maintaining a successful defence ; but as the New Yorkers
still retained their arms, a bloody conflict, such as this threatened
to be, would have cast a painful gloom over the closing days of
their long and honorable service.

The closing days had come. The war was at an end. The
" Confederacy" upon which the hopes of the South had centred,
and into whose treasury its wealth had been poured without
stint, had crumbled at last, leaving its people poor and helpless,
to be encouraged and started again on the way to prosperity
by the benign government against which they had so treason-
ably revolted. Nothing remained but to disband the great
armies whose steadfast loyalty to the Union, patient endurance,
and sublime courage had accomplished the gigantic task as-
signed them. This work was already in progress, and every-
where the restless soldier was resuming the garb and occupation
of the peaceful citizen.

On the 23d of June, at Elmira, after two years and ten months
of active service, the 150th was mustered out by Captain James
R. Reid, lOth United States Infantry, Assistant Commissary of
Muster. Among those responding to their names were some
who had recently returned from Southern prison-pens, and still
bore painful traces of their long confinement and unnecessarily
cruel treatment. At five o'clock on the following afternoon,
accompanied by the 149th, which had been mustered out that

PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 259

day, the regiment took train on the Northern Central Railroad
for Harrisburg. Arriving opposite that city on the 25th, the
twin commands left the cars, and, crossing the Susquehanna on
the wagon bridge, made an imposing entry, to which the superb
music of their consolidated drum corps lent additional eclat. At
Camp Curtin tents were ready for their use, and here, for the
most part, both officers and men rested for the next few days,
while awaiting their final pay. Perhaps it is a mistake to say
that they "rested." The 150th was never busier. There were
so many things to do, so many things to say, so many photo-
graphs to be taken and exchanged, so many reminiscences to
be rehearsed, so many plans for the future to be talked over, so
many promises to be registered, before the parting of these men,
who, by a common sentiment of patriotism and participation in
the same toils and dangers, side by side, for years, had been
bound together as closely as brothers. Who has not borne
arms in exhausting campaigns — sleeping often upon the hard
earth, watching on lonely outposts through anxious nights,
marching, heavy-laden and weary, day after day, joining in the
wild tumult of battle, dividing the scanty biscuit or the failing
treasure of the canteen in hours of hunger or thirst, and tasting
all the sweet comradeship begotten of community of suffering
and peril — can never realize the fulness of the soldier's mind
and heart on the eve of disbandment.

At last came the pay, — first to the 149th, then to the 150th.
On the afternoon of June 29, Major C. Baird, Paymaster U.S.A.,
counted out the crisp notes which squared the wage account
between the government and these faithful servants.

By a wise provision of the War Department, each man was
permitted to retain his gun on payment of a moderate sum,
and few there were who did not avail themselves of the oppor-
tunity to possess themselves of so precious a souvenir.

Many promotions were made, by commission, in the last
weeks of the regiment's service, but without muster. The

26o ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH PENNA. VOLS.

record of these is complete in Bates's monumental work, —
" History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers," — and it need
scarcely be said that in every instance the advancement was
well deserved. In bestowing upon Major George W. Jones
the lieutenant-colonelcy in May, and the colonelcy on the
15th of June, 1865, the State authorities did tardy justice to
a gallant and successful commander.

On the night of June 29 and the morning of the 30th, amid
smiles and tears and hand-shakings and embraces, into which
a world of feeling entered, the last good-byes were spoken, and
singly and in groups the members of the regiment scattered to
their homes; some to wed again the trades and occupations from
which the call to arms had divorced them ; others to enter upon
new pursuits of which they had little dreamed when they flocked
to the colors ; others still — boys, sprung swiftly to manhood — to
begin serious preparation for their life-work; all, with an added
shade of thoughtfulness and a deeper love of country, to accept
manfully and discharge cheerfully each higher obligation of
American citizenship. Forgotten were the hardships and suf-
ferings of the dark days of the war, or remembered only as a
background against which shone more luminously the pleasant
incidents, the golden deeds and experiences, the incomparable
friendships of those years of civil strife ; and not a heart but
beat with honest pride at the thought of having contributed —
however modestly — to the restoration of the "Union of the
Fathers." That feeling was to grow — those memories to be-
come priceless — with passing time, and the record of the patri-
otism, courage, endurance, and patient suffering of these return-
ing " volunteers" to be accepted as the richest of all heritages
by their children and their children's children.

APPENDIX.

PRISON LIFE IN DIXIE.

THE MARCH FROM GETTYSBURG TO RICHMOND — BELL ISLAND — EXTRACTS
FROM THE DIARY OF FRANK H. ELVIDGE, OF COMPANY A.

In forwarding his diaries to be used in the preparation of the history of
the regiment, Elvidge writes, "You may find the record of the march made
by those of us who were taken prisoners at Gettysburg of some interest.
This march of one hundred and seventy-five niiles, or that part of it from
Martinsburg, Virginia, to Staunton, at the head of the Shenandoah Valley,
I made barefoot over the rough turnpike road, and continued so until my
final parole and my arrival at Annapolis, Maryland, on September 30,
1863."

[On the 4th of July the column of prisoners, composed of between one
and two hundred commissioned officers and more than three thousand
enlisted men, entered upon the long journey, marching about six miles
through a hard rain. The rebel wagon trains were hurrying to the rear,
and there was every indication of a desire on the part of General Lee to
put the Potomac between his own and Meade's army as quickly as pos-
sible.]

" July 5. — Rebel wagon trains cut off. Marched to Monterey Springs.
Reached that place about midnight, passing Fairfield and Cumberland
Gap. The town is torn completely out by the ' rebs.' Very muddy and
dirty.

"July 6. — Marched all day and night, passing through Waynesborough
and Waterloo. In the former place all the houses were closed, and the
people would have nothing to do with the ' rebs.*

"Jiclyj. — Came through Hagerstown. Reached the Potomac about
noon, making thirty hours at one stretch. Rained hard all night. No
shelter. People mostly loyal.

" Jicly 8. — Started to cross the Potomac at Williamsport, but for some
reason or other we were sent back to camp, where we lay all day.

261

262 APPENDIX.

"July g. — Crossed the river. Took all day to cross. Got no rations to-
day. Herb [Elvidge's brother] was lucky enough to get a loaf of bread in
Williamsport as we were going through.

''July lo. — Marched two miles beyond Martinsburg, passing through
Falling Waters, making fifteen miles in the afternoon. People mostly
loyal. No rations yet. Somebody has been kind enough to relieve me of
my shoes.

" Jti/y II. — Marched to within a mile and a half of Winchester, which
place we reached about two o'clock at night. Drew the first rations to-day
for three days. Had no shoes. Suffered terribly on the march,

"July 12. — Passed through Winchester. Marched about five miles and
rested for the remainder of the day. Drew rations of flour and meat.
Several hospitals full of Milroy's wounded.

"July ij. — Marched about fifteen miles, passing through Kernstown,
Bordensville, Newtown, and Middletown. Crossed Cedar Creek on a
temporary bridge. Rained very heavily most of the day.

"July 14. — Marched twenty-three miles, passing through Strasburg,
Woodstock, Thomasbrook. Suffer a good deal for want of rations.

"July 75. — Met the rebel Relief Committee on the way to Gettysburg.
Marched fourteen miles, making a noon halt to draw rations. Passed
through Hawkinstown, Mount Jackson, and Newmarket. First time we
got enough to eat.

"July 16. — Marched nineteen miles, passing through Harrisonburg.
Pretty nice place. All the country out to see us. Rained all night.

"July ly. — Marched twenty miles, passing through Mount Crawford
and Mount Sidney. We are now within four miles of Staunton.

"July 18. — Reached Staunton at last. Searched, and our things taken
away from us. Lay here the rest of the day.

"July ig. — Seven hundred men started to-day for Richmond (by train).
Officers went yesterday. Tried hard enough to get away with them, but
could not make it.

"July 20. — Started from Staunton at ten a.m., and reached that place
[Richmond] about three o'clock the next morning.

"July 21. — Lay in the tobacco warehouse opposite Castle Thunder until
ten. Then started for Bell Island, where we were paroled.

"July 22. — Seven hundred more prisoners brought in to-day from
Staunton.

"July 2j. — Meat and bread twice to-day, instead of soup. Got outside
and had a wash in the James River ; also washed my suit.

"July 2g. — Reports that our army is at Culpeper and Staunton, fighting.
" Au£usl I. — Took about one thousand out to go North.

APPENDIX. 263

" Augusts. — All taken outside, searched, and counted, which took all day.

"August 4. — All taken outside again. Counted off in hundreds instead
of nineties. . . . Also got outside to the river and had a wash. Captured
a handful of soap from the commissary.

"August ^. — About four hundred of the prisoners have arrived from
Staunton. I can't imagine what has kept them so long. There are some
left there yet. They are all flush with grub.

" August 6. — More prisoners have come in, about four hundred in
number, part from Staunton and the rest from Culpeper. One of our
men hoisted the rebel flag to-day for half a loaf of bread.

"August 7. — About one hundred prisoners from Grant's army came in
to-day. They report that Grant has got down as far as Corinth. For the
first time since I was a prisoner washed with soap.

" August II, — There was a star to be seen to-day, about four o'clock.
Regarded as an omen.

" August ij. — Several got away last night. One of the 14th Brooklyn
was brought back and punished.

"August 14. — We have had quite an excitement here to-day. One of the
euards shot three men, killing two almost instantly and wounding another
in the head. They had the little gun on the hill loaded with grape and
canister, ready if there were any fuss.

" August 21. — This is the day Jeft' Davis, in his proclamation, has set
apart as a day of fasting and prayer for the recent reverses which have
befallen them.

" August 2j. — Moved into new tents. Have a blanket under and over
me now, so I am very well fixed.

" August 28. — A squad of about two hundred and eighty sick went out.
Alarm-bells were ringing for about two hours in the city, our cavalry
being at Bottom Bridge on a raid.

" August 2g. — Harry Laut took charge of the ' hundred' to-day.

" August 31. — Moody and Baldwin have left the squad and Hausman
[John, of Company A] come into it.

" September 3. — Several of the men have been informed on, taken out-
side, and all their money taken away from them. One man, who was
found to be drawing [rations] in two squads, was taken out and bucked
and gagged.

" September ^. — I tried for the first time cracking one of those big bones,
and it was splendid, — full of fat and grease. There is a good deal of
strength in it.

" September 8. — Heavy trains loaded with troops have been going out
from the city. They must be re-enforcing Bragg or Beauregard.

264 APPENDIX.

" September g. — As usual, nothing of importance going on, and my time
has been spent in the same monotonous way. Nothing at all to do but to
work on bones. If I only had a knife of my own, I could pass my time
pretty well.

" Septetnber 10. — Two guards and six men made their escape last night
by digging through the bank at the upper end of the camp.

" September ij. — Another man was shot last night, going to the sink.

" September ig. — Paroling slowly again. Hausman was out with the
fourth squad, so he is all right.

" Septe7nber 21. — Seven hundred and twenty prisoners left for City Point.
Hausman and two more of our regiment went along with them.

'' September 2^. — Laut resigned his position as sergeant yesterday. The
alarm-bells in the city were rung again last night. Old Bragg got another
whipping in Tennessee.

" Septetnber 2j. — To-day we have been very busy paroling. About four
hundred from the South came in, and four hundred from the inside go
North, and I am among the lucky ones. I tried very hard for ' Loudy'
[LautJ, but was put off.

" Septeinber 28. — At last I am able to chronicle the day that sets me free
from Bell Island, and a happy one it is. It was impossible to get ' Loudy'
off, though I did my best for him. We are now lying in the same ware-
house that we did when we came in from Staunton ten weeks ago.

" September 2g. — Started from Richmond about four o'clock, on the cars,
reaching City Point at eleven o'clock. Changed cars at Petersburg. No
waiting, but stepped right on board the ' New York' and started. I thank
the Lord that I am at last under the stars and stripes !

" September JO. — At last I have on a good new suit of clothes. Washed
well with soap. In fact, I feel like another man. After going all night,
reached Annapolis about seven o'clock a.m. Marched to College Green
Barracks. Met all the boys there."

[It will be observed that Elvidge, in his memoranda, nowhere complains
in harsh terms of the treatment he received from the rebel guards, and in-
dulges in no criticism of the United States government for not taking more
active measures to hasten the exchange of Union prisoners. With youth,
strength, and good digestion on his side, he seems to have accepted the
situation with fortitude, and to have borne every privation uncomplain-
ingly. His pocket-notes, extending over a period of two years and a half,
breathe throughout a spirit of unshaken patriotism.]

APPENDIX. 265

II.

LIEUTENANT J. Q. CARPENTER'S RECOLLECTIONS.

Lieutenant Carpenter, of Company E, who commanded his company
in the battle of Gettysburg, July i, 1863, relates that he was captured in the
town on the afternoon of that day, and with other prisoners marched out
the Chambersburg road a mile or two, and slept that night in a large red
barn. On the 2d he was permitted to run around and assist the wounded,
and through his efforts Lieutenant Henry Chancellor was carried into the
McPherson barn. On the 3d, with several fellow- prisoners, he started
northward, hoping to evade the rebel guards, but was intercepted and
brought back by a cavalry patrol.

On the 4th the march towards Richmond began, the details of which it
is unnecessary to dwell upon. On reaching Richmond he was confined
with some hundreds of Union officers in the third story of Libby Prison,
where he remained until May, 1864. Then a series of compulsory mi-
grations began, in which he was involved, lasting — with several long
intervals of rest — until near the close of the war. The first long journey
was by rail to Macon, Georgia, where the prisoners were confined at the
Fair Grounds outside of the city. While there he united with others in an
effort to escape by digging a tunnel under the stockade, but these oper-
ations were discovered and the scheme thwarted.

Towards the end of July, with several hundred Union officers, all drawn
by lot, he was transferred by rail to Charleston, South Carolina, to be placed
under fire. After being confined for some time in the grounds of the city
jail, one-half of the number were accommodated at Roper Hospital, under
parole, and the other half at the Marine Hospital. Here they watched the
shells which were thrown into the city by the " Swamp Angel," and which,
at night, furnished (in Lieutenant Carpenter's language) a " beautiful ex-
hibition of fireworks." In September, Lieutenant Carpenter, with the other
prisoners, was removed by train to Columbia, and put in an open field
surrounded by guards. While en rottte to Columbia the lieutenant and a
number of other officers leaped from the train and took to the woods ; but
after wandering around for ten days, pursued by blood-hounds, a defective
compass led them into the outskirts of Columbia, where they were secured.
Here they were confined in the grounds of the lunatic asylum, the lieu-
tenant spending several days in the asylum on a pretence of sickness.

Shortly before the arrival of Sherman's troops at Columbia, Lieutenant
Carpenter and his brother. Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Emlen Carpenter,
of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry, made another earnest effort to escape
to the Union lines. ' They were finally "rounded up" by men and dogs.

266 APPENDIX.

and returned to custody at Columbia. Here, a day or two prior to General
Logan's advent, they managed to secrete themselves in a loft, and on the
appearance of the troops walked forth to freedom.

Accompanying Logan's corps to Fayetteville, Lieutenant Carpenter went
thence to Wilmington by tug-boat, and from the latter point by steamer to
Baltimore.

While he retains no very pleasant recollections of his captivity in
"Dixie," the lieutenant both preached and practised a cheerful phi-
losophy in all his trials, and returned to his friends with the same
abounding good-humor which characterized him before his capture.

in.

EXTRACTS FROM CAPTAIN H. W. GIMBER'S NARRATIVE OF HIS EXPERI-
ENCES AS A PRISONER OF WAR.

Captain H. W. Gimber, of Company F, was captured near the semi-
nary on the afternoon of the first day of the battle of Gettysburg, and
shared the long march to Staunton, Virginia, and the journey by rail from
that point to Richmond, where he arrived on the i8th of July, 1863. As
so much has been written and printed concerning life in Libby Prison, the
portion of his narrative relating to his confinement there is passed over,
and the " Extracts" begin with his departure for Macon, Georgia.

" Left Richmond by train (cattle cars) May 7, 1864, and arrived at Dan-
ville, Virginia, on the morning of the 8th, where we were confined in
the military prison. On the 12th we left for Greensborough, North Caro-
lina. Walked seven miles of the road, the track not being completed.
Arrived near Greensborough in the night and camped in the fields. Rain ;
soaked to the skin. Took cars on the morning of the 13th and reached
Greensborough about eight a.m. Proceeded by train to Charlotte, arriving
there in the evening.

" On the 14th took train and reached Columbia, South Carolina, in the
evening. Thence again by train, and reached Augusta, Georgia, on the
evening of the 1 5th. Remained in the cars, sixty to a car, with wet clothes
and blankets. On the morning of the i6th went ten miles out of Augusta,
lay there until four p.m., and then started for Macon. Arrived at Macon
about seven a.m. on the 17th. Taken to a large park outside of the city.
The enclosure contained about two acres, with some shade trees. Over
one thousand officers quartered here.

" One of our officers, Captain Van Buren, who escaped on the way here,
states that he was taken to Andersonville, Georgia, where our enlisted men

APPENDIX. 267

are kept. He says they are in a large lot, with no shelter and scarcely
enough room to move about in, scanty clothing and covering, and insuffi-
cient food. They die at the rate of thirty and sometimes fifty per day.
During March and April eleven hundred died. He states that they have
become almost idiotic. They have been shamefully used. Barbariaiis cou/d
7iot treat thetn "cuorse thajt the rebels do. They have 710 eiiergy, no purpose, —
a7-e like ivortt-out cattle tu7-nedoutto die. They see their fate a7idca7i7tot stave
it off. There is 710 epide77iic ; they die of e.xhaustio7i a7id brokcTi hearts.

" Left Macon for Charleston, South Carolina, on the 27th of July.
Started in the evening by train (cattle cars, as usual), and arrived in
Charleston on the morning of the 29th. As soon as we got out of the cars
we saw the shells from our guns bursting in the city. They marched us
in a scorching sun across the Ashley River and through the city to the
outskirts of the ' burnt district,' into the city jail-yard, among deserters,
murderers, thieves, negro soldiers, etc. ; gave us tents, which we put up in
the filthy yard. All the offal and garbage of the prison is placed in the yard,
and the stench is horrible. Most of the ' First Families' have left the city
on account of the shelling, and the best part of the place is deserted.

"The poor of Charleston gave us water and milk, and evinced more
kindness than the people of any place we have been in. Before our
' general' and ' field' officers were exchanged, which was about three days
after our arrival, we were issued fresh meat and fresh bread, — food that
had been a stranger to our stomachs for months. As soon as the fifty
officers left, they gave us corn-meal and lard one day, and rice and lard
the next. We are treated in the same manner as the felons. Two hundred
officers, consisting mostly of the ' field' and their lackeys, were transferred
to the work-house adjoining, where they enjoyed much better quarters,
separate from the convicts.

" There was a secret association gotten up among the officers while we
were at Macon, only such being received as could be relied upon, and a
plan was laid to capture the train at Pocotalico Station, a distance of ten
miles from our lines. Everything was ready, and each was assigned his
part in the execution of the scheme, which was to disarm the guards in-
side and charge those on top of the cars. All were determined, and the
majority of us would have been free but for the want of nerve on the part
of the officer who was in charge of the plot, and was to have given the
signal. We could have cheated the Confederacy out of six hundred offi-
cers, and deprived it of the hellish satisfaction of maltreating us.

" Three hundred and fifty officers were transferred to the Roper Hos-
pital, August 17, and two hundred and thirty to the Marine Hospital, — in
both cases paroled. Rations improved.

268 APPENDIX.

"At Charleston we raised money from a blockade runner on bills of
exchange, five dollars in Confederate scrip for one dollar of good money.
We purchased potatoes, peanuts, peppers, and groceries from the darky
women who stood in front of Roper Hospital. They were slaves, who were
permitted by their masters to earn a few pennies at their leisure.

" While at Charleston the yellow fever broke out, and many officers
were taken sick and died. The disease spread so rapidly, and shells were
thrown so numerously, that the authorities concluded to remove us.

" Left Charleston October 5, 1864. Arrived at Columbia on the morning
of the 6th, and lay in the road all day. At night we were placed in a yard
adjacent to the depot. Rained hard all night. Wrapped ourselves in our
blankets and went to sleep in the mud. One of the officers was stabbed
with a bayonet for buying some food. Next morning we were marched
out two miles from the city and placed in a large field, without shelter.
Were allowed to go out under guard to gather cedar boughs, with wjiich
we built ourselves shelter from sun and wind, but had no protection from
rain. Fed on corn-meal and a small quantity of sorghum molasses, — no
meat of any kind.

" After being placed in the hospital at Charleston, we received better
usage from the officers, men, and citizens than in any other town in the
Confederacy. This change may have been brought about by the lesson
taught daily by General Gillmore, — a fotxible lesson. While marching
through the streets on the way to the cars, the citizens stood in groups at
their doors, and many remarked what a handsome set of men the United
States officers were. There were among us, in fact, some of the finest-
looking men I ever saw. The women in Charleston asked us why we did
not go home and let the South alone. As we were leaving the city, Foster
commenced shelling furiously. While there we had many very narrow
escapes. Pieces of shell flew into the building and yard. When a shell
came over, and we happened to be in the yard, we would lie close in to the
stone fence. We could tell by the sound exactly which way the shell was
coming.

" Left the camp in the field, called ' Sorghum,' on the 12th of December,
and marched to and through Columbia to the grounds of the lunatic asy-
lum, a part of which was fenced off to pen up the 'Yanks.' Before enter-
ing the enclosure we were told by the rebel commandant that houses were
laid out for us, and tools and lumber would be furnished for their construc-
tion. If any lumber was destroyed or tools were missing the value would
be deducted from our money in their hands. One house was partly put up,
and the post-holes for the rest were dug and some posts planted, but not a
board was supplied to continue the work with. Some old tents were issued.

APPENDIX. 269

but many officers were without shelter, and the weather was cold and rainy.
No meat issued since we left Charleston. Plenty of meat at the sutler's at
exorbitant prices, but none to issue. Fourteen dollars in Confederate scrip
for a dinner for five ; seven dollars Confederate for one dollar greenback ;
twenty-five dollars Confederate for one dollar gold. Money sufficient in
the rebels' hands to keep us from starving, but they would not issue it.

" Left the stockade at Columbia on the night of the 14th of February,,
marched to the depot, about half a mile, through the mud and rain, and
stood in the rain about two hours awaiting transportation. The cars were
filled with refugees. The rich men of Columbia were offering any price to
have their families and goods taken away, to escape the ruthless hands of
the ' Yanks,' as Sherman was reported near Columbia. Next day we left
for Charlotte, North Carolina. In the night the engine ran into some cows
and was thrown from the track. Next day we had beef rations. Were
detained until about noon, when, a siding having been completed, we
moved on and reached Charlotte about ten p.m. Slept in the cars. Next
morning we were marched to a field near the city and encamped. In the
night a little rice-meal and meat was issued, sufficient to make one meal.
Nothing all the next day, and no rations of any kind on the following day.
Borrowed a few Confederate beans and made a dinner.

"Rumors that an arrangement had been made for a general exchange
were rife.

"Left Charlotte on the morning of February 21. Cars all taken up by
refugees and stores. Went thirteen miles and the engine gave out. The
engineer tried to fix it, but without success. We lay at a place called Har-
risburg three days, then got on another train and reached High Point,
fifteen miles from Greensborough. All was confusion when we arrived.
A train had run off the track, and it took twenty-four hours to remove it.
Wheedled our passage on a passenger train. I got in a car filled with our
enlisted men, and such a distressing sight I have seldom witnessed. The
men were half naked, and the stench from the dirt that was ground into
their skin was stifling. The car took fire, and the flames were beginning
to assume alarming proportions when we arrived at Greensborough. Got
out, and the officers were placed in an old shed. Weather rainy and mis-
erable. The train for Raleigh was to be ready in half an hour. We were
half famished and chilled. The rebels, for what reason I cannot divine,
issued a barrel of sorghum and a bag of corn-meal. We relieved ourselves
by a little expression of our sentiments in the presence of a gaping crowd
of Confederate officers.

" Left Greensborough in the evening and arrived at Raleigh the next
evening, where we were not allowed to purchase anything. City under

2/0 APPENDIX.

martial law. Every road was picketed. Citizens were not allowed to come
near us. The military are hated, and the poor suffer beyond description.
A scene occurred illustrative of the chivalry of the South. A poor negro,
who had attempted to sell the ' Yanks' cakes, was arrested and placed
under two Confederate guards. Of a sudden the darky ran, and the rebel
officer ordered the men to shoot. Each guard aimed in turn, but the hand
■ of Providence was over the innocent ' nigger.' The guns missed fire, and
we ' Yanks' sent up a derisive shout.

"Nothing could exceed the bitter hatred and pusillanimous revenge of
the rebel. With intelligence little above that of the animals, he showed as
little feeling. While we were in Libby Prison we would sometimes go to
the window for a little air, and but for the timely warning of our friends
many more would have been murdered than were. As it was, about a half-
dozen were killed or wounded. The ' rebs' would watch all day for a shot
at us ; would even get off their posts to kill a Yankee. At Macon one man
was promoted to orderly sergeant and given a leave of absence for two
weeks for killing an officer of the 45th New York. This was cold-blooded
murder, as the officer was inside of the ' dead line,' stooping at the spring to
get a drink. At the camp in the field near Columbia we had several valu-
able officers murdered without any provocation. One man merely reached
his hand over the ' dead line' to get an axe that had been thrown over.
The sentry, who had made many threats, shot him through the heart.

" Major Griswold, in command of the prisoners, pressed a passenger
train and we went on and reached Goldsborough about ten p.m. Marched
to the court-house, which was filled with officers who had arrived before us.
Slept out on the muddy ground. Next day, 27th, we were startled by the
receipt of one day's ration, which was soon disposed of.

" Left Goldsborough the next day, February 28, on an empty stomach,
after signing the parole. Stimulated alone by the excitement, we took our
usual place on top of freight cars. Next morning we reached a point about
five miles from neutral ground, and lay by to allow the ' Truce' train, with
Captain Hatch, Exchange Agent C.S.A., to pass and establish the truce.
In about ten minutes we started, in fifteen minutes we passed the rebel
vedettes, and in five minutes more we stopped. The rebel guards were
drawn up on either side of the train. We got off and were counted by an
officer from each government. General Abbott was in charge of the truce.
Our officers looked magnificent in their beautiful uniforms, and our men
were hardy and soldierly, — something entirely different from what we had
been used to for some time. On leaving the rebels behind and passing
along our lines, the air seemed lighter and the sun shone out propitiously.
Old bags, blankets, and clothing were thrown around promiscuously.

APPENDIX. 271

Such hearty, happy cheers, such spontaneous outbursts of gladness, were
rarely heard or witnessed. The delight we all experienced was absolutely
ineffable. We marched through the swamps, passed our pickets ; I heard
a wild yell at the head of our column ; I looked, and lo ! it was the old
flag ! Many cried with joy at the sight of it. I shouted until I was hoarse.
The whole Twenty-fourth Corps, off duty, was paraded on either side of
the road. The bands played national airs. The negro troops looked fine.
They were delighted to see us, — pure, genuine delight.

" I was agreeably disappointed at the appearance and bearing of the
colored troops, and all my prejudices vanished.

"We marched to Wilmington, about nine miles. On the road Widdis
got sick, and by resting and slow walking we did not reach Wilmington
until night. We quartered in vacant houses. Every prisoner I talked with
pronounced the first day of March, 1865, the happiest day of his life.

" Embarked on the steamer ' Sedgwick' about three o'clock p.m., March
2, and lay in the stream all night. Next morning weighed anchor and
sailed to the mouth of the Cape Fear River, opposite Fort Fisher. On
the following morning passed the bar, and sea-sickness began to manifest
itself, a majority of those on board being overcome by it."

[After a stormy voyage of two days the "Sedgwick" reached Fortress
Monroe, March 6, about six p.m., took on provisions, and left for Annapolis
about eight p.m. She arrived at Annapolis on the morning of the 7th.]

2/2

APPENDIX.

BATTLES OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH PENN-
SYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS*

Number of Killed and Mortally Wounded in each.

Gettysburg, July i, 2, and 3, 1863

Wilderness, May 5 and 6, 1864

Laurel Hill and Spottsylvania, May 8 to 12, i

North Anna, May 23, 1864

Bethesda Church, May 30, 1864

Cold Harbor, June i, 1864

Petersburg, 1864

Weldon Railroad, August 20, 1864

Hatcher's Run, October 27 and 28, i8d

Dabney's Mill, February 6, 1865

Total killed or mortally wounded

2
I

I
I

__5
114

* Colonel Fox's figures in " Regimental Losses" are accepted for the most part.
He omits Cold Harbor altogether.

APPENDIX.

273

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APPENDIX.

WEEKLY REPORT OF SICK, WOUNDED, ETC., OF THE ONE HUN-
DRED AND FIFTIETH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS.
By H. M. KiEFFER, Hospital Steward. (From his Diary.)

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May 7

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June 4

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June 18

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June 25

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July 2

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July 16

155
164

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July 30

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Sept. 24

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227

Oct. 29

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Nov. 12

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219

APPENDIX.

275

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276 APPENDIX.

NAMES AND DATE OF 'DEATH OF OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS,
AS REPORTED TO SERGEANT CHARLES P. HAUPT, SECRETARY
OF SURVIVORS' ASSOCIATION.*

Private George Sharpless, Company A, date unknown.
Private George Dunckley, Company B, date unknown.
Private George Styer, Company B, date unknown.
Private Malilon Breyman, Company D, date uiiknown.
Private Michael Brian, Company D, date unknown.
Private James M. Chambers, Company D, date unknown.
Private Ammon L. Houck, Company D, date unknown.
Private John Hafer, Company D, date unknown.
Private Simon Malehorn, Company D, date unknown.
Private George F. Oberdorf, Company D, date unknown.
Private William Stahl, Company D, date unknown.
Corporal George '^ . BarkdoU, Company D, date unknown.
Corporal Samuel Ruhl, Company D, date unknown.
Sergeant Samuel Kerstetter, Company D, date unknown.
Corporal Jonathan Carr, Company F, date unknown.
Private William Regens, Company F, date unknown.
Private Bruno Albaugh, Company K, date unknown.
Private Hiram Smith, Company D, June 2, 1865.
Private John F. Fox, Company D, about 187c.
Private Henry Deal, Company D, July 28, 187 1.
Private Jonathan Seaman, Company D, January 10, 1880.
Private David Page, Company D, June 20, 1885.
Musician Charles E. Zebley, Company F, August 12, 1885.
Captain Harvey Fisher, Company A, August 31, 1885.

Private 'Nathan Peck, Company D, , 1885.

Private James Mawhorter, Company B, February 6, 1886.
Corporal Amos Browand, Company D, May 18, 1886.
First Lieutenant William M. Taylor, Company A, April 25, 1887.
Private Wilson Lashells, Company D, October i, 1887.
Private Andrew Batzel, Company F, September 28, 1889.
Sergeant George W. Pastor, Company E, March 5, 1890.
Captain William P. Dougal, Company D, July 8, 1890.
Sergeant William S. McGinley, Company E, August 4, 1890.

* A complete list, if obtainable, would fill many pages.

APPENDIX. 277

Private Simon Erdley, Company D, August — , 1890.
Lieutenant-Colonel Cornelius C. Widdis, Company A, December 22,

1890.
Private Isaiah B. Dewees, Company A, December 27, 1890.
Private Joseph Jordan, Company A, February 3, 1891.
Second Lieutenant Joseph Chatburn, Company F, February 16, 1891.
Corporal George W. Bates, Company F, February 23, 1891.
First Lieutenant Franklin B. Jaggard, Company E, March 3, 1891.
Brevet Brigadier-General Langhorne Wister, March 19, 1891.
Captain D. \ . Derickson, Company K, July 18, 1891.
Sergeant Hoover J. Shannon, Company C, January 18, 1892.
Private Jacob Myers, Company A, March 19, 1892.

Musician Ernest Fowler, Company I, , 1892.

Captain William S. Pine, Company E, October 4, 1892.
Private Charles A. Nuneviller, Company A, December 17, 1892.
Musician Eli A. Eastman, Company H, March — , 1893.
Private Joseph P. Bailey, Company F, April 7, 1893.
Private Charles J. Lehman, Company A, April 19, 1893.

Private Aaron Ammon, Company D, , 1893. •

Private Isaac Linn, Company D, , 1893.

Corporal Augustus Stadelman, Company B, April 25, 1893.

Private Abraham Dannenhower, Company E, , 1893.

Private John Doran, Company B, , 1894.

Corporal Tobias Lister, Company B, , 1894.

Captain Arthur S. Voorhis (Quartermaster), August 17, 1894.
Private Conrad Redifer, Company A, October 4, 1894.
Corporal Charles Ravenor, Company E, January 7, 1895.

THE END.

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